How a Blocked 2010 Trade for Amar’e Stoudemire Changed the NBA and Kept Fans From a Kobe vs. LeBron Finals

During the 2009-10 NBA season, a pivotal trade proposal was discussed behind closed doors—one that could have changed the landscape of the league and potentially rewritten the history of the playoffs, the Finals, and perhaps even LeBron James’ career. The Phoenix Suns reportedly considered dealing their All-Star power forward Amar’e Stoudemire to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a trade that would have paired “STAT” with LeBron James during the latter’s final season with his hometown team. The trade ultimately didn’t happen, but its implications have lingered in the minds of basketball fans ever since.

The proposed trade would have seen the Cavaliers receive Stoudemire, a dominant force in the frontcourt who thrived in Phoenix’s fast-paced offense, while the Suns would have acquired young forward J.J. Hickson, veteran center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and a future first-round pick. At the time, the Cavaliers were actively seeking another high-impact player to pair with LeBron in hopes of making a serious title run. Despite owning the best regular-season record in the league and featuring a deep supporting cast, Cleveland’s front office knew they needed more star power to survive the brutal Eastern Conference and eventually topple the Lakers or whoever emerged from the West.

Amar’e Stoudemire was having another terrific season, averaging around 23 points and 9 rebounds per game, continuing to serve as the explosive finishing option in Phoenix’s “seven seconds or less” offense. Alongside Steve Nash, Stoudemire was one of the most feared pick-and-roll players in the league. His athleticism, verticality, and finishing touch made him a matchup nightmare for opposing big men, and pairing him with a transcendent passer like Nash allowed him to flourish in an up-tempo style that prioritized speed, space, and early offense. Despite recurring knee issues earlier in his career, Stoudemire had regained his All-NBA form and was one of the most efficient offensive bigs in the game.

Cleveland’s interest in Stoudemire was no surprise. LeBron was reaching the apex of his first stint with the Cavaliers, winning his second consecutive MVP award and seemingly doing everything on the court—scoring, facilitating, defending, and rebounding. Yet the lack of a consistent second scoring option became glaring, especially in playoff moments when teams loaded up on LeBron and dared others to beat them. Mo Williams was a decent second option but not a true co-star. Shaquille O’Neal, brought in for a championship push, was well past his prime. The idea of pairing LeBron with a prime Amar’e, a player who could not only score but also run the floor with him in transition and finish with authority in the half-court, was tantalizing.

The Suns, however, reportedly pulled out of the trade. Despite flirtations with rebuilding and the temptation of gaining young assets and future picks, Phoenix chose to retain their core and make a final run with Nash and Stoudemire leading the charge. The gamble paid off to a degree. The Suns made a strong push in the Western Conference, advancing to the Conference Finals before falling to the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers in six games. It would be the final time that version of the Suns contended at the highest level, as Stoudemire would sign with the New York Knicks in free agency that summer, effectively ending the team’s high-octane era.

Meanwhile, Cleveland’s playoff dreams once again ended in disappointment. Despite finishing the regular season with the NBA’s best record at 61–21, the Cavaliers were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Semifinals by the Boston Celtics, a veteran team anchored by Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and the cerebral Rajon Rondo. LeBron’s performance in that series was heavily scrutinized. Although he posted strong overall numbers, critics pointed to a lack of aggression and questions about his commitment during the final games. It was clear that the roster, as constructed, was insufficient to win a title, and the failure to bring in Stoudemire loomed large.

One month after the playoff exit, the NBA world was rocked by LeBron’s announcement on national television that he would be “taking his talents to South Beach” to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat. The move sent shockwaves through the league and marked the dawn of the modern “superteam” era. But what if Cleveland had landed Stoudemire at the trade deadline? Would that have been enough to keep LeBron in Cleveland? Would a Finals appearance—or even a championship—have changed his decision?

There’s reason to believe it might have. Stoudemire was the kind of co-star LeBron never truly had during his first Cleveland stint: a dynamic scorer who could create pressure on defenses without needing the ball constantly in his hands. With Amar’e’s gravity as a rim runner and interior force, opposing defenses would have had to pick their poison, giving LeBron more room to operate. The Cavaliers might have stood a much better chance against the Celtics, and a Finals showdown between LeBron’s Cavs and Kobe Bryant’s Lakers might finally have come to pass.

For many fans, the absence of a Kobe vs. LeBron Finals remains one of the biggest what-ifs in NBA history. Both were at the height of their powers in 2010. Kobe was leading the Lakers with an unmatched level of competitiveness and skill, aiming to secure his fifth NBA title and further cement his legacy. LeBron, hungry for his first championship, was playing some of the best basketball of his career. A Finals duel between them would have been historic—a generational clash between the sport’s most dominant wing players, each with contrasting styles and mindsets.

Instead, it was the Celtics who met the Lakers in the 2010 NBA Finals, a rematch of their 2008 encounter. This time, Kobe and the Lakers emerged victorious in a grueling seven-game series, with Bryant earning his fifth ring and second Finals MVP. The Celtics’ defeat marked the end of their own championship window, while the Lakers celebrated back-to-back titles for the first time since the early 2000s.

Back in Cleveland, the front office was left wondering what could have been. The failed Stoudemire deal symbolized a missed opportunity to alter their championship fate and possibly retain the most talented player in franchise history. While J.J. Hickson showed flashes of potential, he never developed into a star. Ilgauskas was a beloved figure but nearing the end of his career. And the future pick never materialized into a meaningful piece. The Suns, in the meantime, went all-in and nearly reached the Finals, but saw their window close soon after Stoudemire’s departure.

Looking back, the trade that wasn’t may have reshaped not just the Cavaliers or Suns, but the entire league. Had Amar’e joined LeBron, perhaps the Heat superteam never forms. Perhaps the balance of power in the NBA remains more evenly spread. Perhaps the Lakers are tested by a Cavaliers team capable of dethroning them. And perhaps, most importantly for many fans, we finally get to see Kobe Bryant and LeBron James face off with everything on the line—the game’s two greatest stars of their generation clashing on the NBA’s biggest stage.

In the annals of NBA history, some of the most defining moments are not the moves that happened, but the ones that almost did. The Amar’e Stoudemire-to-Cleveland deal is one of those moments—a crossroads in time where one decision set the league on a different course. It’s a powerful reminder of how the league’s history can hinge on a single phone call, a gut decision, or a deal left on the table.