The "what if" moment that changed every NBA team forever

Los Angeles Lakers: What if the Lakers had been allowed to acquire Chris Paul?

In 2011, the Los Angeles Lakers nearly pulled off a 3-team trade with the Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans to acquire Chris Paul. However, the trade was vetoed by Commissioner David Stern, leading Paul to be traded to the Clippers. Had the Lakers trade gone through, that would have made it much harder for them to have traded for Dwight Howard. However, they might have been able to clear out enough cap space to sign him or sign and trade for him in the summer of 2012.

That could have given Los Angeles a core of Kobe, CP3, and Howard and made them arguably the team to beat out West. That certainly would have ensured that Kobe didn't spend his final few years with the team missing the playoffs, possibly giving him at least six championships.

Ironically, the Lakers version of the trade may have been better for the Pelicans than the Clippers, with several rotation players going back to New Orleans. That would have allowed them to flip each for picks while stripping down their roster to tank and still possibly landing Anthony Davis.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, Stern likely prevented the deal because he was trying to sell the team and didn't want expensive veterans to scare away buyers. But he likely stopped a super team from forming in Los Angeles too.