How Close Was Kobe to Joining Dirk in Dallas? Mark Cuban Reveals NBA “What If”
The Dallas Mavericks are Dirk Nowitzki’s team—but history almost had a different script. In 2007, Mark Cuban revealed, Dallas was one phone call away from landing Kobe Bryant.
On The Big Podcast with Shaquille O’Neal, Cuban said, “Do you realize how close we were to trading for Kobe in 2007? It was going to be Josh Howard, Jason Terry, and picks—no Dirk. Anybody but Dirk.”
Kobe, 28, was coming off a 31.6 PPG season, All-Defensive First Team honors, and a third-place MVP finish. Frustrated by the Lakers’ early playoff exit, he requested a trade—creating the perfect storm for Dallas.
The proposed deal would have paired Kobe with Dirk, forming one of the deadliest duos in NBA history. But the Lakers smoothed things over, and Kobe stayed in Los Angeles, winning two more championships.
Cuban’s revelation reminds us how fragile NBA history is—how one near-miss could have reshaped legacies, dynasties, and basketball lore forever.
Mark Cuban revealed Kobe Bryant almost became a Dallas Maverick in 2007 😳
(Ep. 33) pic.twitter.com/8I2FaYjG3M
— The Big Podcast (@bigpodwithshaq) August 12, 2025
