In 2011, it was a depressing time for NBA fans. We had to deal with the NBA lockout, which delayed the season until a Christmas Day start. One of the biggest stories at the time was the fact the Chris Paul became a Laker. For about 45 minutes. In a 3 team trade between the Lakers, Hornets (Pelicans) and Rockets:

• Hornets (Pelicans) Receive: Kevin Martin, Goran Dragic, Lamar Odom, Luis Scola, and a first round pick to the Hornets (Pelicans)
• Rockets Receive: Pau Gasol
• Lakers Receive: Chris Paul

The NBA however, vetoed the trade due to the fact that the New Orleans Hornets (Pelicans) were owned by the NBA. Former NBA commissioner informed the team that they weren’t allowed to do the trade because of that very reason.

Kobe Bryant still is upset over the trade getting vetoed. He would have had Chris Paul and possibly Dwight Howard on one team, making a run at his 6th ring. Yet, he is done for the year while the Lakers have 13 wins at the all-star break. In a interview with GQ Magazine, Bryant shared his thoughts on the trade getting vetoed, and what the NBA lockout did to the Lakers.

“Well, okay look at the lockout. That lockout was made to restrict the Lakers,” Bryant said. “It was. I don’t care what any other owner says. It was designed to restrict the Lakers and our marketability.”

“Everything that was done with that lockout was to restrict the Lakers’ ability to get players and to create a sense of parity, for the San Antonio’s of the world and the Sacramento’s of the world.”

“Even with those restrictions, the Lakers pulled off a trade that immediately set us up for a championship, a run of championships later,and which saved money. Now, the NBA vetoed that trade. But the Lakers pulled that s*** off, and no one would have thought it was even possible. The trade got vetoed, because they’d just staged the whole lockout to restrict the Lakers. Mitch got penalized for being smart. But if we could do that…..”

With the Lakers currently having a questionable future, it’s going to take a lot to get Kobe the thing he desires the most: his 6th ring.

Like The Game Day Report on Facebook 

[twitter-follow screen_name=’TheGD_Report’ show_count=’yes’]