The Vlade Divac Effect: Analyzing the Ground-Breaking Trade for Kobe Bryant

The Los Angeles Lakers drafted Vlade Divac with the 26th overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft. Vlade had a huge impact on the NBA, just not in the way he probably would have hoped.

In 1996, Vlade Divac was traded to the Charlotte Hornets for young, and unproven talent Kobe Bryant. This move would send shock waves through the NBA in the up coming years.

This trade by the Los Angeles Lakers, in my opinion, was the best trade of the past 20 years. It did two things for the team: 1) It brought the young Bryant over to Los Angeles, and 2). It freed up cap space to be able to sign Shaquille O'Neal.

Let's explore what would have happened if Bryant had stayed in Charlotte.

For starters, the Lakers wouldn't have won 3 championships, even if they managed to sign Shaquil...

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