Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban claims he was extremely close to landing Kobe Bryant after Bryant demanded a trade in 2007.

On a recent podcast appearance, Mark Cuban told a story about how Kobe Bryant was almost traded from the Lakers to the Mavericks back in 2007.

Kobe Bryant spent his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five NBA championships and becoming a symbol of loyalty to the franchise. The Lakers traded for Bryant from the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft,

At that time, Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, saw an opportunity to acquire one of the greatest players in NBA history. In a conversation with Bryant's longtime teammate, Shaquille O'Neal,

You know how close we were to trading for Kobe in 2007. Oh my God, it was like literally this close. I talked to Jerry Buss and worked something out. Kobe wanted to leave. Jerry

Mark Cuban recently revealed details about the Dallas Mavericks’ near acquisition of Kobe Bryant in 2007. Cuban, who is now a part-owner of the Mavericks after selling a majority stake last year, brought up the topic during an appearance on Shaquille O’Neal’s “The Big Podcast.