The Los Angeles Lakers missed the playoffs in the last three seasons of Kobe Bryant’s career, but the late franchise icon reportedly attempted to change that by campaigning for the franchise to sign and trade for stars.

Bryant “tried to cajole the Lakers into fielding better teams around him in his final few seasons in L.A.,” Ramona Shelburne reported for ESPN.

His efforts included recruiting free agents like LaMarcus Aldridge and Dwyane Wade as well as urging the Lakers to trade for Sacramento Kings star DeMarcus Cousins, Shelburne said, citing sources.

None of those stars came to Los Angeles during Bryant’s final three seasons between 2013-14 and 2015-16.

Over that span Bryant appeared in 107 contests as the Lakers put up a 65-181 overall record under former general manager Mitch Kupchak. In his final NBA season he played on a roster that featured Roy Hibbert and Jordan Clarkson starting alongside 19-year-old D’Angelo Russell and 21-year-old Julius Randle.

During those three seasons Aldridge, at the end of his tenure as a star for the Portland Trail Blazers, became a free agent but signed with the San Antonio Spurs.

Wade, who was past his years as an MVP candidate but still averaging just under 20 points per game at the time, entered free agency only to re-sign with the Miami Heat.

Cousins was eventually traded by the Kings to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for a haul of picks and young players, but only following Bryant’s retirement from the NBA in 2016.

Bryant’s vision of the Lakers returning to postseason contention during his NBA career may not have come true, but the Lakers’ fall down the league standings eventually set the franchise up for the high draft picks like D’Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram that helped draw in LeBron James and trade for Anthony Davis ahead of the team’s run to the 2020 title.