Wednesday night marks the last time that Kobe Bryant will play LeBron James in Cleveland barring a miraculous playoff run by the Lakers. However, they have more in common than you might think. Sure, one of them has been featured in the Finals every year since 2007, but they've never faced each other in the series.
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According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, the two were almost swapped in a huge offseason trade in 2007. Windhorst says that multiple sources with direct knowledge of the event, the Lakers once contacted the Cavs to investigate whether Cleveland would make James available in a possible Bryant trade.
Bryant was only 28 years old that summer and was coming off a year where he averaged 32 points per game on 46 percent shooting from the floor. Bryant was still under contract for two years, but was upset with the direction of the franchise after Shaq left to go to Miami.
James had just led the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals only to be swept by the San Antonio Spurs. James averaged close to a triple-double during the playoff run and was looking to come back better the next season.
According to multiple sources, as the Lakers went through their options, a call was placed to the Cavs. The intent of the call, sources said, was clear: Would the Cavs make James available in a potential deal for Bryant?
Those who worked in Cleveland's front office remember it for one reason: It was the only time a team ever called to make an offer for James. He was considered the ultimate untouchable. Frankly, until that time, so was Bryant.
The Cavs confirmed that James was untouchable and tried to package together a different deal for Bryant, but that never came to fruition. However, Bryant would have had to sign off it and he made it clear that there was a short list of teams he would have been good with. "I never would've approved it. Never. The trade to go to Cleveland? Never," Bryant told Baxter Holmes. "That wasn't one of the teams that was on my list. It was Chicago, San Antonio [or] Phoenix."
Neither side —- Kobe and the Lakers —- would budge on a trade and that's what ultimately led to the Lakers getting Pau Gasol the next season in one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history and a run of three straight Finals appearances for the Lakers that netted two championships.
