Lakers News: Chris Paul Hates NBA Ruined His Opportunity to Play with Kobe Bryant

The duo could have been special!

Let's go back in time. Back to the before the 2012 NBA season. Your Los Angeles Lakers were coming off a sweep at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks in the postseason and the team was determined to get back to championship form. The team made a three-team trade with the New Orleans Hornets and Houston Rockets for Los Angeles to acquire disgruntled star point guard Chris Paul.

Brining in Paul would create a super duo of Kobe Bryant and Paul. The combination of the two All-Stars would have been lethal for opposing teams to deal with. When the news dropped, fans and members of the league were in shock and fear that the Lakers just created a new super team. The rest was history as the league vetoed the deal due to "basketball reasons". CP3 spoke recently about his thoughts on the vetoed deal and how he hates that it never came to fruition. 

"Kob is just special... Me and Kob was just wired the same... Had we got a chance to play together, I think it could have been fun."

Chris Paul on almost being traded to the Lakers in 2011 and playing with Kobe Bryant

(via @thepivot)pic.twitter.com/1hqzHihlXz

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 7, 2023

In the proposed and agreed upon deal, the Lakers would get Paul, the Hornets would get reigning Sixth Man of the Year Lamar Odom. Kevin Martin, Goran Dragic, Luis Scola, and a first-round pick from Houston and the Rockets would acquire Pau Gasol. 

On the surface, it had the looks of a pretty fair deal for the Hornets and all parties involved. But it was nixed and the trajectory of the NBA changed forever. Paul would end up becoming a Los Angeles Clipper and Bryant never won another title.

NBA fans were robbed of what could have been one of the best duos in NBA history. Paul and Bryant would have thrived together and it will forever remain as one of the biggest "what ifs" of all-time.

Ironically, Paul is now a free agent and may have the chance to join the Lakers this upcoming season. It may be 11 years later but if he does indeed join the team, it's better late than never, right?

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