Mark Cuban tells story of near Kobe Bryant trade during Dancing with the Stars stint

Mark Cuban just shared one of the wildest what-if stories in NBA history, and it centered on Kobe Bryant nearly joining the Dallas Mavericks in 2007.

During an appearance on the Club 520 Podcast, Cuban recalled how close Dallas came to pulling off a blockbuster when Bryant wanted out of Los Angeles. The timing made the story even stranger. Cuban said he was filming Dancing with the Stars while trying to help finish the deal, sneaking away during breaks to speak with Bryant’s former agent, Rob Pelinka.

According to Cuban, the framework looked real enough to believe it would happen. He said the Mavericks were prepared to send two first-round picks, Josh Howard, and Jason Terry to the Lakers for Bryant. Cuban also believed Dr. Jerry Buss was on board, which made the moment feel even more serious.

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The deal that almost changed everything

Cuban said he even updated Dirk Nowitzki throughout the process. In his telling, Nowitzki understood the magnitude of the move and told him he would make that trade too. Still, Cuban’s vision was not about replacing Dirk. He wanted Bryant and Nowitzki together, a pairing that could have changed the league’s balance in a huge way.

Then it fell apart.

Cuban said Pelinka later called with word that Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak had convinced Bryant to stay put. Just like that, the Mavericks’ shot vanished. Bryant remained in Los Angeles, where he spent his entire career and built his legacy with the Lakers.

That close call now stands as one of the NBA’s biggest near-misses, and Cuban’s behind-the-scenes story made it feel even crazier. A dance rehearsal here, a phone call there, and one of basketball’s most iconic careers almost took a completely different path.