Kobe was closer then thought

[pollack419]

http://www.detroitbadboys.com/2016/4/7/11390004/kobe-bryant-trade-detroit-pistons-2007-done-deal

Detroit Bad Boys article that Kobe agreed to deal but changed mind in 11th hour. Image if you will if stones signed Ben(Who I believe he would have been better seasons from 07 and on in the D) and made the trade

Trade Could have been: Kobe For RIP, Stuckey, Amir Picks

Line up
Billup / Hunter
Kobe / Afflalo
Prince / delfino
Sheed / Dyce
Ben / Max

Not a Kobe fan but that line up would have been amazing

[kurtis48239]

Haha,just read that as well,was suprised to hear we were the other team he choose,that he was fine being traded to.imagine that lineup,we would of probably gone on to win a few more ringss.I love hearing these kinds of stories,

[bballnmike]

Jeez that would've been amazing. Must've really respected us for the beat down we gave the Lakers in the finals. If you can't beat 'em, join em

[Snakebites]

Yeah, if true that's one of the bigger "what ifs" in NBA history. Ben Wallace signed away from us in 2006, a year before this trade was agreed to, so them being on the same team wouldn't have been a possibility.

[bstein14]

So, if Joe D and the Pistons would have matched the offer to Ben Wallace, ($60 million over 4 instead of $50 million over 4 I believe) it could have had a trickle down affect that would have lead to Kobe wanting to come to Detroit instead of being talked into being a Laker for life perhaps.... Originally reported that it was RIP + Prince for Kobe.... Detroit could have still had a lineup of Billups, Stuckey, Kobe, Sheed, Big Ben... Would have been an entirely different 2007 to 20016 for the Pistons and we probably wouldn't have any of the same players we have on the team right now. Joe D would likely still be running the show IMO and perhaps even ownership could and would be different.

[bballnmike]

Hypothetical, where do you think we would be today if we had gotten Kobe then and he's playing his last few games of his career in a Pistons jersey?

Better or worse situation than the Lakers currently? I'd have to imagine better

[sfballa13]

Hypothetical, where do you think we would be today if we had gotten Kobe then and he's playing his last few games of his career in a Pistons jersey?

Better or worse situation than the Lakers currently? I'd have to imagine better

With Kobe on the Pistons? We easily win 2 if not 3 more championships

Billups, Rip, Tay, Sheed all played very lax and lazy and took dumb shots, Kobe, while a chucker himself, is a hard working individual who would have demanded excellence from Chauncey and Sheed while Rip and Tay left town along with their bitch ass attitudes

Kobe would have elevated the play of everyone and we would have been a powerhouse

I would trade 10 years of Kobe for the last 10 years of trash we suffered thru any day of the week

Id imagine many vets would take pay cuts to come play with us as well

Does Lebron join up with Kobe instead of going to Miami?

Billups - Kobe - Lebron - Sheed - Big Ben

Still the ultimate what if is if we got Melo or Wade, another 1-2 chips easily with those guys instead of Darko

We got one that's more than many franchises in their entire history so it is what it is

[DBC10]

Easiest trade ever if it included any combination of Stuckey, Rip, Tay, and boatload of picks.

I'd personally escort them out if I had to. Too bad this wouldn't have happened, I thought I also read elsewhere that Kobe was going to use his no trade clause if it was the Pistons?

[TurboTitan]

Mike Korzemba needs to make this what if video

[Pharaoh]

IF we drafted Bosh over Darko....LB still doesn't play him much so we still trade for Sheed...still hold a million teams under 70...still smack the Lakers & win the championship

The next season we play Bosh more to rest our vets...discover he's the real deal...make the Rip & Stuckey & picks for Kobe trade....Big Ben doesn't leave:

Ben/Bosh
Sheed/Dice
Tay
Kobe
Billups

Probably win another 2 titles - viewed the way the Spurs are now and Joe likely still in charge

[joedumars1]

IF we drafted Bosh over Darko....LB still doesn't play him much so we still trade for Sheed...still hold a million teams under 70...still smack the Lakers & win the championship

The next season we play Bosh more to rest our vets...discover he's the real deal...make the Rip & Stuckey & picks for Kobe trade....Big Ben doesn't leave:

Ben/Bosh
Sheed/Dice
Tay
Kobe
Billups

Probably win another 2 titles - viewed the way the Spurs are now and Joe likely still in charge

More like 4 lol

[tmorgan]

It's hard to envision Chauncey with Kobe... Mr. Big Shot and Mr. All Shots.

[Pharaoh]

It's hard to envision Chauncey with Kobe... Mr. Big Shot and Mr. All Shots.

Everyone loved Chauncey though and he'd have got along with Kobe.

Kobe might be viewed differently if he came here - he'd still be all about rings but maybe coming here allows him to pick his spots when to dominate...

At worst Chauncey would nail spot up 3s, Tay wasn't terrible at that either and Sheed could nail it from deep too

As Ben & Sheed declined we'd have moved to the 2 man game of Kobe & Bosh, again Chauncey still fits

Finding suitable wings wouldn't have been that difficult if we look at the last 7 years. Built around Kobe & Bosh we'd still be contenders in the weak East

Maybe Lebron never leaves the Cavs? Going to Miami to join Wade is less enticing than joining Wade AND Bosh

2003 Draft is where you gotta start for us if you do a "Be the Booker" story IMO