Love this idea. Found an article that breaks this down http://bleacherreport.com/articles/4...breaking-trade
It would have changed everything for the Lakers. Not only would they not have gotten the best 2 guard since Jordan, but Vlade's contract would have kept them from signing Shaq. More on this later. Kobe would have broken into the starting lineup for a Hornets team that made that playoffs that year. Let's say Kobe has a bit of a better rookie season and adds 3 wins to that team. They are a top 3 team in the East now. Next years Hornets had 7 players who didn't return so that tells me they had some cap space in the offseason. Combine that with the cap space attained from not having Vlade they could offer the Magic a deal for a sign and trade for Shaq, who was definitely leaving Orlando that year. They didn't have much to offer, they had 2 quality starting forwards in Glenn Rice (22.6 PPG that year) and Anthony Mason, the teams leading rebounder although he just turned 30, Dell Curry, who was just past his prime, Muggsy Bogues (same), and Matt Geiger who wasn't very good but would have been the starting Center for Charlotte. Let's say they trade Rice, Geiger, and either Curry and a future first rounder, that's still better than what Orlando got in real life (nothing). So that means Charlotte now has Kobe, Shaq , Mason, and Bogues. They now become the 2nd best team in the East, and create an interesting matchup against the Bulls going for their last title run. Shaq would have a big advantage down low, and we get a Kobe vs. Jordan matchup as well. Even if they lose to the Bulls, they would be the heirs to the Eastern Conference throne. They should contend for most of the early 00's provided the chemistry goes well, which as we all know won't happen but oh well. The team's success would also mean that the Hornets never have to move to New Orleans, but also probably don't get Chris Paul down the road. Even further down the road that might mean that the Charlotte Bobcats would be placed in New Orleans. Of course this probably wouldn't have happened because the head scout of the Hornets at that time said there was no way the Hornets would take Kobe lol.
As for the Lakers it meant that they would not have that threepeat. Even if they managed to sign Shaq, it would have been tough to win three straight without Kobe, though they would contend. So they could have quite possibly lost 5 titles by not doing this title plus however more they might win now. Funny how things work out

Just to let you know the article has a different take than what i posted.

The thing to think about is the Lakers wanted Shaq, they were probably still going to trade Vlade in that draft for cap space so now look at the players right after Kobe in that draft, Peja Stojakovic, Steve Nash, Tony Delk, and Jermaine O'Neal, three of the four would still make the Lakers a better team that could get Shaq, so the Hornets probably would of had a tough time getting Shaq