Former All-Star Point Guard Revealed He Declined Chance to Be Traded to Lakers

A former All-Star guard revealed that he didn't want to be traded to the Lakers.

The Los Angeles Lakers have been the mainstay for star players over the years in the NBA and they have used that to their advantage. The city of Los Angeles helps draw stars into the organization but sometimes, the cost of living in California can be a factor in a decision.

Former NBA All-Star point guard Jeff Teague had a chance to come to the Lakers years ago but a deal was halted by Teague himself. He would have been paired up with former Lakers guard Kobe Bryant if the trade had gone down.

Teague was recently on Gilbert Arenas's podcast, Gil's Arena, and discussed a trade that almost went down. He was almost moved to the Lakers but declined due to state taxes. Teague also joked that he didn't want the pressure of playing for Los Angeles.

"They called me was like, 'The Lakers gonna trade for you.' I don't want to go to L.A. I looked at the taxes and all that; I'm like, 'No. Don't want to go there. Nah, I don't want to go there. I didn't have enough money for a crib I wanted out there,'" Teague said.

“Kobe was like jab, get there. Ah pump fake, pump fake, pump fake. Get him off the ground, foul shot and 1. It was effective, he was a dawg. I just didn't like watching it. It didn't look as graceful to me, that's all.”

Jeff Teague on why he didn't watch Kobe 😅 pic.twitter.com/vfhl9x9MSC

— Gilbert Arenas (@GilsArenaShow) July 16, 2024

Teague was one of the better point guards over the years during his career but his decision to avoid Los Angeles is interesting. He finished his career with the Milwaukee Bucks, helping them win the NBA title in 2021. 

If Teague had landed with the Lakers, it could have given some life to the organization. But it wasn't meant to be, even if it would have been a fun thought.

More Lakers: JJ Redick Praises Anthony Davis' Impact On Court