Carmelo Anthony Drops Bombshell About Lakers and Kobe Bryant
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Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers were absolutely dominant during his years with the franchise. He won five championships during his time with the team and played with a lot of great teammates.
While his tenure with the Lakers was pure basketball entertainment, a situation almost occurred that would have made the team even more entertaining.
During a portion of Bryant’s career, Carmelo Anthony was one of the best players in the NBA. Should the two have teamed up, the NBA world would have been shaken up.
Carmelo Anthony #7 of the New York Knicks and Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers talk during the first half at Staples Center on December 29, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. Carmelo Anthony #7 of the New York Knicks and Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers talk during the first half at Staples Center on December 29, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images
That is a situation that was nearly a reality.
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During a recent appearance on iHeartRadio, Anthony spoke out and revealed that he was almost traded to Los Angeles. He also revealed what the trade would have looked like.
Anthony revealed that the trade would have been completed in 2011.
“The deal was DONE — me & Nenê for Lamar Odom & Bynum,” Anthony said. “I never even thought about New York. But then, when George (Karl) had that deal and turned that deal down, now it’s like, ‘Oh y’all don’t want me in the west, you want to send me to the East.”
Truthfully, no one can blame the Denver Nuggets for not trading Anthony to the Lakers. A pairing of Anthony and Bryant would have been very difficult to beat.
While Anthony hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2021-22 season with the Lakers, his name is still very popular among fans. He had a legendary career that will never be forgotten.
He played in 1,260 games throughout his career and made 1,120 starts. In those appearances, he averaged 22.5 points per game to go along with 6.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and a steal.
Read more: Knicks Linked to Former MVP as Free Agency Speculation Grows
Also, he shot 44.7 percent from the floor and connected on 35.5 percent of his career three-point attempts.
It’s always interesting to hear these stories years after a player has retired. Bryant and Anthony would have been an intriguing pairing. While it never happened, it’s still interesting to think back about what could have been.
Unfortunately, Anthony was never able to win a championship. Should he have been traded to Los Angeles to team up with Bryant, that might have changed his career story.
For more on the Los Angeles Lakers and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
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