Mar 12, 2011; Dallas, TX, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) celebrates at the end of the game with Pau Gasol (16)against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. The Lakers beat the Mavs 96-91. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

Lakers Almost Made Blockbuster Trade to Pair Kobe Bryant With Future Hall of Famer

Originally posted on Los Angeles Lakers on SI
By Ryan Stano | Last updated Aug 9, 2025 6:00 PM ET

After Shaquille O'Neal wanted out, the Los Angeles Lakers spent a lot of time trying to find some players who would fit well next to Kobe Bryant so they could win more championships.

The Lakers knew that Bryant was one of the best players in the league, so they had to find players who would fit his unique style of basketball so they could compete for titles.

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Perhaps the biggest move they made was the trade for Pau Gasol. That move won them two championships. They almost made another monumental move back in 2011.

The Lakers almost traded for Carmelo Anthony in 2011

Carmelo Anthony recently revealed that he almost played for the Lakers sooner in his career. He said that he almost teamed up with Bryant back in 2011, which would have given the team one last run at a title.

Carmelo Anthony said he was extremely close to teaming up with Kobe in 2011.

“The deal was DONE — me & Nenê for Lamar Odom & Bynum. I never even thought about New York.”

Wow.

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“The deal was DONE — me & Nenê for Lamar Odom & Bynum. I never even thought about New York,” Anthony revealed.

Had the Nuggets pulled the trigger on that deal, the Lakers would have been in a position to go for one more title before Bryant's career started to go downhill with injuries.

Anthony was one of the most sought-after trade assets before he eventually made his way to the Knicks. Had he ended up in LA, he likely would never have ended up with the Knicks at any point in his career.

Instead, the move was never made. He was traded to the Knicks and spent six and a half seasons in New York before playing for four different teams in his final five seasons.

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Anthony ended his career playing with the Lakers in 2021-22, so he did eventually play for Los Angeles. The Lakers certainly would have loved it if he had played for them back in 2011.

Had Anthony played with Bryant, there would have been some issues sharing the ball. Both were very ball-dominant at this point in their careers, so it would have been hard to make both players happy.

In Anthony's career, he averaged 22.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. He shot 44.7 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.