Kobe Bryant's legendary 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers started with a trade from the Charlotte Hornets. The man who engineered the move, Hall of Famer Jerry West, joined Tuesday night's emotional airing of NBA on TNT to help remember the player he brought on as a 17-year-old and watched, from close and afar, turn into one of the greatest players basketball players of all time. Most significantly, West revealed that Bryant was on the verge of leaving the Lakers in 2004 to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers.