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It seems like a common occurrence to hear NBA stars request a trade now-a-days. While it has always happened in the league, it has definitely been more prevalent in recent years. From Dwight Howard to Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul, the modern NBA mixed with social media has become a hotbed for trade requests.
Last season it was Kyrie Irving followed by Kawhi Leonard and now Timberwolves star Jimmy Butler has joined the club.
With that in mind, it is interesting to think about the stars who requested a trade that never actually happened. Here are three stars, ranked, where just that happened.
3. Scottie Pippen, Chicago Bulls
Early in the 1997-1998 season, smack-dab in the middle of their second three-peat run, Scottie Pippen was injured and unhappy. While there had been rumblings of Pippen's unhappiness previously, it was never spoken about or threatened the way it was at this time.
The cause of Pippen's displeasure? A letter from then general manager Jerry Krause forbidding Pippen from playing in a charity pickup game. This apparently pushed Pippen to the point of sitting out despite claiming he was more than healthy enough to play and could pass a physical for a potential trade. It was nearly a debacle for the entire Chicago franchise.
Pippen eventually came to his senses and played an integral part in the final leg of the Bulls dynasty run. He returned shortly after the request and, alongside Michael Jordan, led Chicago to the 1998 championship.
2. Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets
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After starring in college at the University of Houston, it seemed like a match made in heaven when the Dream was selected by the Houston Rockets with the top pick in the 1984 NBA draft. Olajuwon would get to play basketball in the area he knew best, alongside another talented big man in Ralph Sampson.
The duo formed the original “Twin Towers” and Olajuwon's career looked promising from the beginning. A decade after being drafted, Olajuwon led the Rockets to their most successful time in franchise history, winning back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995.
That magical run almost never happened, however. Olajuwon was unhappy with the way Houston management handled an injury he was going through at the time. The team felt Olajuwon was faking the injury due to being unhappy, prompting him to request the trade. Thankfully for everyone in Houston, the two sides eventually worked things out behind the scenes. By the 1993 season, Olajuwon was all-in with the Houston and went on to put together his best stretch as a Rocket.
1. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
A much more publicized and well-known trade request came from Laker great Kobe Bryant. After a historical run that saw them three-peat from 2000-2002, Bryant and teammate Shaquille O' Neal's problems came to a head after a disappointing loss to the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 Finals.
Though Los Angeles kept Bryant and dealt Shaq to Miami, Bryant found himself once again unhappy and requested a fresh start in 2007. Bryant reportedly wanted to go to the Chicago Bulls, but the Lakers had a deal in place to send him to the Pistons, which Bryant nixed.
Never truly wanting to trade him, Lakers management eventually found a way to keep him around. As with Olajuwon, it paid off in a big way as the Lakers went on to win back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010. Kobe would spend the rest of his career in L.A., leaving a legacy behind that will cement him as a Lakers legend and one of the best to ever suit up.
