Summer of 2003, Lakers offer Cavs 25 year old Kobe for 18 year old Lebron?

[Duncan21formvp]

Let's say it is the Summer of 2003 and Cleveland has the #1 pick like they did, would both teams agree on a trade with a 25 year old Kobe part of the equation for a 18 year old Lebron? Who accepts, who declines?

Which is more likely to happen?

Both teams would agree on Trade
Cleveland would Agree on Trade, while LA Lakers would decline it
Cleveland Declines Trade, while LA Lakers would Accept it
Both Teams would Decline Trade

[light]

Let's say it is the Summer of 2003 and Cleveland has the #1 pick like they did, would both teams agree on a trade with a 25 year old Kobe part of the equation for a 18 year old Lebron? Who accepts, who declines?

Which is more likely to happen?

Both teams would agree on Trade
Cleveland would Agree on Trade, while LA Lakers would decline it
Cleveland Declines Trade, while LA Lakers would Accept it
Both Teams would Decline Trade

It is highly unlikely that the Cavs would give up LeBron for Kobe.

Remember, at that time Kobe had a poor reputation while LeBron was The Chosen One, and from the area.

[LAmbruh]

Lakers couldn't even trade Kobe for Luol Deng and Ben Gordon when he was BEGGING to be leave :oldlol:

[Axe]

Lakers have simply became too much attached to the black mamba back then.

That's the reason why they fired phil jackson in the first place subsequently after their lost in the 2004 finals and when shaq learned about it, he himself too had to learn how to adjust and therefore, saw him being dealt to miami in the same year.

[Reggie43]

Was also wondering what was Lebron's trade value at the time without seeing how he would play in the Nba. Was thinking he was worth Paul Pierce who at the time was 25 years old and coming off a 26ppg 7rbs 4asts 2stl season.

[SouBeachTalents]

Was also wondering what was Lebron's trade value at the time without seeing how he would play in the Nba. Was thinking he was worth Paul Pierce who at the time was 25 years old and coming off a 26ppg 7rbs 4asts 2stl season.
Lmao, no GM in history is trading a rookie LeBron for Paul Pierce

[Reggie43]

Lmao, no GM in history is trading a rookie LeBron for Paul Pierce

That was my thought process at the time when I was a huge lebron fan and not knowing how he would have developed. Imagine if Lebron forced the cavs hand and asked to be traded, which would be the best player they get in return?

[Reggie43]

Remember we were fresh off the Kwame Brown's and the Tyson Chandler's etc so these highschool kids have had a bad rep

[SouBeachTalents]

Remember we were fresh off the Kwame Brown's and the Tyson Chandler's etc so these highschool kids have had a bad rep
That's true, but LeBron was getting literally unprecedented hype. Imo idk if there was a player the Cavs would have traded rookie LeBron for straight up

[Reggie43]

Was I saying that if Paul Pierce was offered to the Cavs that they would accept? Absolutely not :oldlol:

[SouBeachTalents]

Was I saying that if Paul Pierce was offered to the Cavs that they would accept? Absolutely not :oldlol:
Who's the best player you think the Cavs could've gotten had they tried trading LeBron after the draft. Do you think teams would've given up Duncan, KG or Kobe for him?

[Reggie43]

That's true, but LeBron was getting literally unprecedented hype. Imo idk if there was a player the Cavs would have traded rookie LeBron for straight up

Yeah, the first time his highschool clips was leaked to the public I was blown away. He had this one block that was very Bill Russell like which was the reason he became my fave player at the time.

[Reggie43]

Who's the best player you think the Cavs could've gotten had they tried trading LeBron after the draft. Do you think teams would've given up Duncan, KG or Kobe for him?

Was thinking Pierce but it was obviously stupid of me not knowing that he already peaked, I thought he could have gotten better at 25 onwards.

[Rico2016]

Lakers couldn't even trade Kobe for Luol Deng and Ben Gordon when he was BEGGING to be leave :oldlol:

:roll: OUCH

[Whoah10115]

Was thinking Pierce but it was obviously stupid of me not knowing that he already peaked, I thought he could have gotten better at 25 onwards.

Pierce stayed the same, the team just got worse and worse.

The Cavs were bad. Some big stars would have turned them around in that conference, but it was gonna take a lot to be a real contender. So the only way they trade is if he forces their hand.

Pierce was a top 10 player, always, and no matter the hype or lack of it. Would have been a case of the Cavs doing well, given the circumstances. But given their state, their consistent issues, and LeBron being from the area...no all around.

The Lakers would do it if Kobe refused to come back or if they were completely sick of him (they weren't), but the Cavs would probably be unwilling because I imagine they'd know he'd be unlikely to extend his contract.

[Roundball_Rock]

Lakers couldn't even trade Kobe for Luol Deng and Ben Gordon when he was BEGGING to be leave :oldlol:

The Lakers offered Kobe for LeBron then; the Cavs said no. It has been forgotten, but is the only time players of that caliber were in a proposed trade. As much as the two are discussed I am surprised the trade never comes up.


The Los Angeles Lakers called the Cleveland Cavaliers about a Kobe Bryant-for-LeBron James trade in 2007, reports ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

The Cavaliers quickly rebuffed the Lakers’ offer, but told Los Angeles they could have anyone else on the team in exchange for Bryant. The Lakers declined, according to the report.

https://www.si.com/nba/2016/02/10/kobe-bryant-lebron-james-trade-2007-lakers-cavaliers

As far as the OP goes, the Lakers would immediately accept it but no way the Cavs would.

[LAmbruh]

The Lakers offered Kobe for LeBron then; the Cavs said no. It has been forgotten, but is the only time players of that caliber were in a proposed trade. As much as the two are discussed I am surprised the trade never comes up.



https://www.si.com/nba/2016/02/10/kobe-bryant-lebron-james-trade-2007-lakers-cavaliers

As far as the OP goes, the Lakers would immediately accept it but no way the Cavs would.damn

Prime Brick for an unproven rook

Small market Clev hangs up and laughs

Cray

[Roundball_Rock]

The traded I referenced was in 2007, the same summer Kobe almost got traded to the Bulls but Kobe vetoed it because he didn't want to play without Luol Deng. So it was peak Kobe for a young LeBron. If what Kobe fans say about Kobe and LeBron is true, the Cavs would have immediately accepted.

[Hey Yo]

Lakers have simply became too much attached to the black mamba back then.

That's the reason why they fired phil jackson in the first place subsequently after their lost in the 2004 finals and when shaq learned about it, he himself too had to learn how to adjust and therefore, saw him being dealt to miami in the same year.
Jackson wasn't fired. His contract was expiring and he didn't like their offer. He wanted double his current salary and they said no, so he resigned.

[Axe]

Jackson wasn't fired. His contract was expiring and he didn't like their offer. He wanted double his current salary and they said no, so he resigned.
Yet the old guy also did mention that he didn't want to return coaching if kobe also returned. Also, during the month of the '04 all star game, there were talks already that the lakers plan to release him once the season ends.

[SouBeachTalents]

The Cavs said that James, indeed, was untouchable, sources said. Then they attempted to make the Lakers a different offer for Bryant, offering anyone else on their team in a package for him. The Lakers had no interest.
:oldlol: Shocked they didn't give him up for a Gibson/Varejao/Pavlovic package tbh


"I never would've approved it. Never. The trade to go to Cleveland? Never," Bryant told Holmes. "That wasn't one of the teams that was on my list. It was Chicago, San Antonio [or] Phoenix."
I wonder how a deal between the Spurs or Suns would've gone down, who they would've had to give up to get Kobe

[Duncan21formvp]

:oldlol: Shocked they didn't give him up for a Gibson/Varejao/Pavlovic package tbh


I wonder how a deal between the Spurs or Suns would've gone down, who they would've had to give up to get Kobe
Maybe Manu and Parker for Kobe and Odom.

[Roundball_Rock]

I wonder how a deal between the Spurs or Suns would've gone down, who they would've had to give up to get Kobe

It was weird: he wanted out of LA but he demanded that the team he go to be competitive. What is the point of trading peak Kobe away if you aren't getting a king's ransom back, which would necessitate gutting the team receiving Kobe?