Thursday, November 1, 2007

Cuban: Kobe deal to Mavs 'not going to happen'

KOBE

Count out the Dallas Mavericks in the Kobe Bryant sweepstakes.

During Wednesday night's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Mavs owner Mark Cuban said that the team would not pursue a trade for the Los Angeles Lakers star.

"It's not going to happen," Cuban told ESPN's Lisa Salters. "We're always looking for bargains, but I don't think they're going to give us any bargains."

Cuban said that the Mavericks have not had any talks with the Lakers about Bryant.

According to ESPN's Ric Bucher the Lakers are now actively looking to move the nine-time All-Star. Bryant criticized the Lakers' front office and then demanded a trade five months ago. This offseason, the two sides appeared to bury the hatchet, but Lakers owner Jerry Buss recently said that the team would listen to offers for Bryant and tensions increased.

Sources told Bucher on Wednesday that the Lakers had been in talks this week with the Chicago Bulls and Sacramento Kings about a possible three-way deal. The Lakers would have acquired Ron Artest and Ben Wallace. The Kings would have gotten Ben Gordon and P.J. Brown. And Bryant would have landed in Chicago.

That deal is apparently now dead.


Source: ESPN.com

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