NBA Trade: 11 shocking NBA trades that almost happened

8. Chris Paul - Los Angeles Lakers

Chris Paul - Los Angeles Lakers

In 2011 the Lakers were looking for a quick reload. Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom weren't the same players they were a couple of seasons ago and with the emergence of the big three in Miami, they were looking for a new partner to pair with Kobe Bryant.

Chris Paul at the time had firmly cemented himself as the league's best point guard after having six stellar seasons in New Orleans.

The Lakers, Rockets and New Orleans had agreed for a trade in principle that would have sent Paul to the Lakers, Pau Gasol to Houston while Kevin Martin, Lamar Odom, Luis Scola and Goran Dragic would head to New Orleans along with a first-round pick (Jeremy Lamb).

Unfortunately for L.A. the league commissioner David Stern vetoed the trade stating that he wanted to keep the league "pure".

Stern, later on, stated that the deal could have still taken place with Kyle Lowry being involved as well. According to Stern, Laker GM Mitch Kupchak panicked and traded Odom to the Mavericks and thus didn't have the pieces to allow the second proposed trade to take place.

Paul eventually signed for the Clippers in the same summer to rub salt in the wounds of Laker fans.