What if Stern had allowed the Paul to Lakers trade?

[JohnnySic]

Would a team led by Kobe/Paul/Bynum/Artest (they would have given up Gasol in the deal) been enough to get past OKC and challenge Miami? Or would they have crashed and burned like the Howard/Nash Lakers did a year later?

[NZStreetBaller]

Then paul would have never been able to be a leader. Nor the smartest man on his team. Clippers really worked out for him

[Dr Seuss]

didnt they get howard in that deal too?

kobe was still relatively healthy then. as was cp3, compared to an unhealthy nash. i think it would have been a success.

[TheMarkMadsen]

The team would have been Kobe/Dwight/Paul

Gasol was traded and the Howard/Bynum deal was basically on the table which is why MJ, Dan Gilbert and Cuban all threw their little hissy fit and demanded that Stern veto that trade.

I think that Paul and Kobe would have worked great together, but Howard has proven he is nothing but a childish, team cancer who destroys chemistry everywhere he goes so in hindsight I still think OKC gets to the finals in 2012.

[FreezingTsmoove]

The battles with the heat in the finals would have been amazing

CP3/Kobe would have been the greatest backcourt in NBA history

[Crown&Coke]

Lakers get more rings than the Celtics
Kobe never blows his achilles

And Lakers have more rings than the Celtics

[oh the horror]

Quite possibly Kobe never blows that Achilles and you'd be looking at one of the greatest backcourt duos ever. Would it have been enough to win a title? Who knows. But it would have been a hell of a team.

[HOoopCityJones]

Paul and Kobe always played well off eachother in All star games and their international play.

[Dray n Klay]

Only the laker fanbase would blame injuries on the fall through of trades:oldlol:

[Da KO King]

The NBA would still be looking for a buyer for the Hornets and people would say Chris Paul was overrated cause he didn't fully fit the Triangle and didn't produce like he's capable of.

[Rooster]

The NBA would still be looking for a buyer for the Hornets and people would say Chris Paul was overrated cause he didn't fully fit the Triangle and didn't produce like he's capable of.

Who says they will play the triangle offense. :confusedshrug: Jim Buss desperately wanted to get rid of Phil Jackson so he can have total control of the team. Most likly he will hire DAntoni and have CP3 putting monster numbers only to flame out in the playoff. Kobe will likely have an extended career.

[qrich]

Paul would have been resorted to a spot up shooter for half the game and issues would've ensued over who handles the rock in the clutch.

On the flip side, Eric Gordon would've remained motivated and been one of the premier twos in the league. Going to where he didn't want to be, and lack of motivation to return from injury really derailed his career.