In the summer of 2015, the Los Angeles Lakers had a couple of sitdowns with All-Star big man LaMarcus Aldridge . Kobe Bryant, though at the twilight of his career, was hungry to win a sixth title to tie his idol, Michael Jordan.
Like Pau
Reports reveal that the Black Mamba initiated the talks with Aldridge. Throughout his illustrious career, Kobe learned that he needed a great big man to win an NBA championship. Bryant felt that LaMarcus could fill in the role that Pau Gasol once filled en route to back-to-back titles.
"Kobe spoke for about three minutes in the presentation, said he envisioned LaMarcus Aldridge working with him the same way Pau Gasol did," as reported by Mike Bresnahan.
Like Gasol, the Texas native was a mobile big man with a decent shooting stroke. This would've enabled Bryant to unleash his three-level scoring prowess, which was critical since, as Kobe got older, he preferred to operate in the paint to save energy and preserve his knees. Aldridge would've been the perfect complement to No. 24's playstyle.
Things didn't go according to plan, and LaMarcus signed a four-year $80 million deal with the San Antonio Spurs . The media speculated that Bryant might have said something in the presentation that turned the big man off. However, Aldridge quickly clarified that the five-time champ wasn't the problem.
"Kobe was not an issue at all," the ex-Trail Blazers said . "He was a very positive part of the meeting. I've always had a very cordial relationship with Kobe. I see him all the time in Newport [Beach], and it was really messed up that [the media] put it on him when he was one of the best parts of the meeting. But like I said, the first one didn't go as well, the second one went a little bit, but at the end of the day going back home was more valuable."
Related: Michael Jordan on why guys shouldn't be able to jump from high school to NBA: "Something is affected by leaving college early"
The real issue
Years after the botched Lakers deal, the seven-time All-Star finally spilled the beans . Indeed, Kobe was not the issue. Jim Buss, son of legendary Lakers owner Jerry Buss, was the one who gave the big man some headaches.
"It wasn't her," LaMarcus said , referring to Jeanie Buss. "It was the son, the miscalculation of me as a person. It was like, I walk into the meeting, and they were like, 'You're trending on Twitter.' And like, if you all don't know me well, but I don't give a sh*t about trending on Twitter."
It would've been interesting to see Aldridge and Bryant as teammates. But alas, it wasn't meant to be. Maybe if the Lakers' front office allowed Kobe to do all the talking, they would've snagged a title that season.
Related: "This is theirs to lose" - LaMarcus Aldridge reveals how close he was to signing with the Lakers
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