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If the Chris Paul to the Lakers deal wasn't blocked by the league, do you think the Lakers would have won a title?
I think Lakers were going to have to give up Gasol in that deal if it went through.
You had the Thunder and the Spurs that they would've had to deal with going forward. Do you think they would have been able to get by those teams?

Laker fans would be even more entitled.

I don't think so. Spurs/Thunder still better.

Kobe and CP3 would have been amazing together.

Kobe ties Jordan for sure. The Lakers would have shed a tonne of long term salary and would have had enough cap room to sign another close to max player or two almost all-star tier players. They still had Bynum, and they would have never gone down the Steve Nash road.

During that time CP3’s impact is through the roof. Let’s not forget the year OKC went to the finals they beat the lakers in 5 but a few of those games were extremely close. I could definitely see them winning that series. Kobe owned the spurs in the playoffs so I think they’d have beaten them too. Miami still hadn’t figure out how to win and I think some of Lakers experience plus Paul would’ve put them over the top.

had that deal went through... they would save tons of money in the deal...I think Okafor who was on the Hornets at the time was in the deal and I think his contract was non guarenteed or something... correct me if I am wrong.... giving them money to sign other role players particularly wing players and still would of went after Dwight and get him too...Kobe would tie Jordan and have a real shot to get 7....

they absolutely would've won the title

God bless David Stern

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Kobe still might be playing...

Lakers fans every time the CP3 trade is brought up:



then...

I genuinely believe it would've been a dissapointing team that first season. Losing Odom and Gasol is huge, the team would've really fallen off after those two. Bynum was decent but not the third star you need, and if they couldn't make that Dwight trade, he would've been done in a couple seasons. Maybe if they were able to add a couple pieces the could've been contenders the following year but that first year... late playoff team out in first round.

AMW27 wrote:If the Chris Paul to the Lakers deal wasn't blocked by the league, do you think the Lakers would have won a title?
I think Lakers were going to have to give up Gasol in that deal if it went through.
You had the Thunder and the Spurs that they would've had to deal with going forward. Do you think they would have been able to get by those teams?

IIRC, it was Cavs owner Dan Gilbert who led the owners to veto the deal. What a crumb.

illuminati666 wrote:I genuinely believe it would've been a dissapointing team that first season. Losing Odom and Gasol is huge, the team would've really fallen off after those two. Bynum was decent but not the third star you need, and if they couldn't make that Dwight trade, he would've been done in a couple seasons. Maybe if they were able to add a couple pieces the could've been contenders the following year but that first year... late playoff team out in first round.

The Dwight trade still would have happened. Assuming guys like Artest, Jamison, Blake, and Barnes were all still Lakers (one way or another)

Dwight
Jamison
Artest, Barnes
Kobe
CP3, Blake

That team was winning at least 1 ring, Dwight probably never leaves as CP and him dominate in the PnR. Kobe gets to save energy and his body.

JB2 wrote:

illuminati666 wrote:I genuinely believe it would've been a dissapointing team that first season. Losing Odom and Gasol is huge, the team would've really fallen off after those two. Bynum was decent but not the third star you need, and if they couldn't make that Dwight trade, he would've been done in a couple seasons. Maybe if they were able to add a couple pieces the could've been contenders the following year but that first year... late playoff team out in first round.

The Dwight trade still would have happened. Assuming guys like Artest, Jamison, Blake, and Barnes were all still Lakers (one way or another)

Dwight
Jamison
Artest, Barnes
Kobe
CP3, Blake

That team was winning at least 1 ring, Dwight probably never leaves as CP and him dominate in the PnR. Kobe gets to save energy and his body.

Antawn wasn't with the team in 11-12. But Lakers would've gotten maybe some players for title chasing. Don't remember how deep that FA class was with roleplayers.

Dwight got injured in 2012 but his workload would be much less with Kobe and CP3 next to him so maybe that situation played out much differently. We will never know:/

The Thunder and Spurs would still be better and there’d be chemistry problems with younger Dwight.

yitur wrote:

JB2 wrote:

illuminati666 wrote:I genuinely believe it would've been a dissapointing team that first season. Losing Odom and Gasol is huge, the team would've really fallen off after those two. Bynum was decent but not the third star you need, and if they couldn't make that Dwight trade, he would've been done in a couple seasons. Maybe if they were able to add a couple pieces the could've been contenders the following year but that first year... late playoff team out in first round.

The Dwight trade still would have happened. Assuming guys like Artest, Jamison, Blake, and Barnes were all still Lakers (one way or another)

Dwight
Jamison
Artest, Barnes
Kobe
CP3, Blake

That team was winning at least 1 ring, Dwight probably never leaves as CP and him dominate in the PnR. Kobe gets to save energy and his body.

Antawn wasn't with the team in 11-12. But Lakers would've gotten maybe some players for title chasing. Don't remember how deep that FA class was with roleplayers.

Dwight got injured in 2012 but his workload would be much less with Kobe and CP3 next to him so maybe that situation played out much differently. We will never know:/

Dwight had issue enough dealing with how demanding Kobe was. CP is cut from the same cloth. Playing with 2 guys like that would probably have made the issues even worse.

durka wrote:

yitur wrote:

JB2 wrote:
The Dwight trade still would have happened. Assuming guys like Artest, Jamison, Blake, and Barnes were all still Lakers (one way or another)

Dwight
Jamison
Artest, Barnes
Kobe
CP3, Blake

That team was winning at least 1 ring, Dwight probably never leaves as CP and him dominate in the PnR. Kobe gets to save energy and his body.

Antawn wasn't with the team in 11-12. But Lakers would've gotten maybe some players for title chasing. Don't remember how deep that FA class was with roleplayers.

Dwight got injured in 2012 but his workload would be much less with Kobe and CP3 next to him so maybe that situation played out much differently. We will never know:/

Dwight had issue enough dealing with how demanding Kobe was. CP is cut from the same cloth. Playing with 2 guys like that would probably have made the issues even worse.

Probably, but him not handling it was probably linked with him being not %100 percent to play but still did. He was much better after the All-Star break and he looked more like his Magic self. One of the main theme of team sports is that winning cures everything. If that team didn't struggle like they did, Howard-Kobe relationship would've gone much different. Or if Howard was the third option.

yitur wrote:

durka wrote:

yitur wrote:
Antawn wasn't with the team in 11-12. But Lakers would've gotten maybe some players for title chasing. Don't remember how deep that FA class was with roleplayers.

Dwight got injured in 2012 but his workload would be much less with Kobe and CP3 next to him so maybe that situation played out much differently. We will never know:/

Dwight had issue enough dealing with how demanding Kobe was. CP is cut from the same cloth. Playing with 2 guys like that would probably have made the issues even worse.

Probably, but him not handling it was probably linked with him being not %100 percent to play but still did. He was much better after the All-Star break and he looked more like his Magic self. One of the main theme of team sports is that winning cures everything. If that team didn't struggle like they did, Howard-Kobe relationship would've gone much different. Or if Howard was the third option.

Howard was at the peak of his popularity at that point, was the consensus best C in the league and had an ego. He was in a contract year and definitely wouldnt have been happy being the 3rd option on that team. One of the issues he had in his numerous stops after LA was that he wanted to get fed in post up situations instead of being a PnR decoy. In an ideal world he would play that role on that team, but given the variables and how things went with Kobe alone I just dont think would have been helped by adding another abrasive, ball dominant player.

I do think this move wouldve helped elongate Kobes career though. With all of Nashs and Howard's injuries that year he had to carry a heavy load, which led to his achilles injury. Even if that first year didnt work with Dwight, they would have been able to find a 3rd guy who fit better with those 2 guys. Even if they didnt add a star, they could have added depth peices and Dantoni could have ran a similar offense to his CP-Harden teams and it would probably have resulted in some serious success.

durka wrote:

yitur wrote:

JB2 wrote:
The Dwight trade still would have happened. Assuming guys like Artest, Jamison, Blake, and Barnes were all still Lakers (one way or another)

Dwight
Jamison
Artest, Barnes
Kobe
CP3, Blake

That team was winning at least 1 ring, Dwight probably never leaves as CP and him dominate in the PnR. Kobe gets to save energy and his body.

Antawn wasn't with the team in 11-12. But Lakers would've gotten maybe some players for title chasing. Don't remember how deep that FA class was with roleplayers.

Dwight got injured in 2012 but his workload would be much less with Kobe and CP3 next to him so maybe that situation played out much differently. We will never know:/

Dwight had issue enough dealing with how demanding Kobe was. CP is cut from the same cloth. Playing with 2 guys like that would probably have made the issues even worse.

Ya no, Dwight would've left them so quick. But who knows maybe they don't struggle as much early and rush Dwight back. Less injured = better play = happy Kobe = happy everyone else