Mark Cuban Reveals How Mavericks Nearly Landed Shaq and Kobe

Earlier this week, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was a guest on FS1’s Fair Game with Kristine Leah. During his appearance, the two discussed a variety of different topics, including the Mavs nearly trading for both Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.

“I that we had a trade done, I talked to Jerry Buss. This was when I was trying out for Dancing With the Stars, that is why I will never forget it,” said Mark Cuban.

“And one of the PAs was the hugest Lakers fans and used to give me a hard time. I’m like ‘dude, I just talked to Jerry Buss, and we had a trade I think with Josh Howard, Jason Terry, and picks,’ and he was like okay. Then he took one last shot at Kobe to talk him out of it, and it didn’t happen.” said Cuban.

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What About Shaquille O’Neal?

Apparently, the Shaquille O’Neal trade chatter was a bit different, but certainly interesting, according to Cuban.

“Shaq would get a hold of me all the time, ‘Come and get me, come and get me, come and get me. Why haven’t you got me yet?’ every time I saw him.” Cuban said of Shaq.

“We almost had him one time when he was with Miami – or Phoenix before Miami, I forget, but we thought we had the team talked into buying him out, and then him coming to play for the mid-level, and he would reduce his price,” said Cuban.

Cuban revealed this happened in “2007 maybe, but it never happened.” The Mavericks owner admits he “always thought it would work, but it never worked.”

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Shaquille O’Neal and Damian Lillard Rap Battle Made Headlines This Past Offseason

Last month, Damian Lillard appeared on The Joe Budden Podcast, and the panel discussed a variety of topics, including who they thought was the best rapper between himself and Shaquille O’Neal. Lillard would reply, “I think I rap better than Shaq [Shaquille O’Neal].”

Lillard proceeded to detail why he felt he was a better rapper than Shaq.

“I think he was viewed as Shaq. People weren’t looking like this [is] a real rapper. It was like, ‘That’s Shaq rapping.’ So, of course, it was a big deal.” said Lillard.

Shaq would respond by posting a diss song with the caption, “Take time to respond, there is no hurry,” Shaq rapped. “You’ll never be Westbrook, never be Steph Curry.”

Lillard would drop a response track entitled  ‘Reign Reign Go Away’ on October 1, 2019.

“New school got new hits, Space Jam, not Blue Chips,” Lillard rapped on the track Reign Reign Go Away. “Hangman, you shoes s—, Game 6, I’m too lit—We both could be working at Kinkos, but Kobe [Bryant] won you them rings, though.”

Damian Lillard would follow that track up by releasing “I Rest My Case.

“You’s a clout chaser, even after all the success
Fake love on the camera, he capping all at the desk
Ghostwriters on deck, checkerboards, no chess
Hailing from the land of the muscle cars, no flex
You not a rapper, you comedy, commentary, and actor
Feed ’em with a slingshot, you better call the pastor
David and Goliath, your stature’s a non-factor.”

Shaquille O’Neal is a four-time NBA Champion with the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.

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