Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak: ‘Would Have Been Nice’ To See If Kobe, Shaq Could Have Won More

Trevor Lane
2 Min Read

https://youtu.be/nsEroR5nv6Y

In 2004, the Los Angeles Lakers fell short of winning an NBA Championship despite having an impressive quartet of Kobe Bryant, Gary Payton, Karl Malone, and Shaquille O’Neal. Injuries took their toll on the Lakers, and they lost in the NBA Finals to the Detroit Pistons.

That summer, with Bryant exploring other options as a free agent, the Lakers decided to trade O’Neal to the Miami Heat in exchange for Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, Caron Butler, and a future first-round pick that would eventually be used on Jordon Farmar. It was a controversial move, but one that was seen as a necessity to convince Bryant to stay, since the relationship between the two stars had become strained.

O’Neal would go on to win a championship with Dwyane Wade in Miami, while Bryant would eventually win two more alongside Pau Gasol years later. However, that hasn’t stopped many from wondering how many more titles the Shaq-Kobe combo would have won if they had stayed together. Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak admitted to Bill Oram of the OC Register that he has also considered how things would have turned out, but he cautioned against dwelling on it for too long:

“It would have been nice to find out. But you can’t undo what the environment was 12 years ago. You’ve got to deal with what the present provides. So yeah it’s nice to think about it, but that’s really not a reality. It’s not realistic to think that way.”

Of course, Kupchak is correct, but the split will still be something that fans will think about for years to come. Two of the top players in the league went their separate ways despite all of the success they had together, and while things ultimately worked out for both parties, we will always imagine what could have been.

Trevor Lane is a longtime NBA and Los Angeles Lakers fan who had the good fortune to grow up during the glory days of the Showtime Lakers, when Magic Johnson, Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and the rest ruled the Great Western Forum. He has written about basketball, soccer, fantasy sports, MMA, and even pro wrestling over the course of his career, but the spectacle that is the Lakers is his true passion. He made the leap into podcasting for Lakers Nation and provides voice-over analysis for our YouTube channel. With a who's who of stars gracing the Lakers lineup over the years, including Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Pau Gasol, and many others, the Lakers always provide plenty to talk about. When he isn't writing or recording, Trevor can be found spending time with his wife and daughter or on the sidelines for one of the youth teams he coaches. Outside of the Lakers, Trevor is a supporter of the LA Galaxy, US Soccer, Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Contact: trevor@mediumlargela.com