Mitch interview on 710am this morning

[dockingsched]

on dwight:

Mark Willard @Mark_T_Willard

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak on why interview was late: "I was on the phone with another GM."

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak on how he would categorize Kobe/Dwight relationship: (after long pause) "a work in progress."

Kupchak on Dwight: "When he wins his 1st championship, and he will, people will look at him differently."

Kupchak: "Dwight is our future."

Kupchak: "This team's window is this year and next year and a lot of that has to do with Kobe."

Kupchak said that Dwight will not be traded and there is nothing that anyone can do to ask him that and get a positive response.

Kupchak: "We have no intention of trading Dwight Howard. He deserves to have his name on the wall at Staples Center."

Kupchak on Dwight: "He's going to have 100% recovery"

on pau:

Kuochak: "We're not going to trade Pau today or tomorrow."

on coach d'antoni:

Kupchak: "Mike D'Antoni is going to be the coach here going forward. We're very happy with Mike D'Antoni."

[SlavaMedvedenko]

So he was on the phone with another GM, while not trading Dwight or Pau..

[Kilroy]

Oh ****... We're trading Dwight AND Pau and firing Pringles tomorrow!!!

[GAME TIME]

Mitch and the Lakers FO are backing Dwight, showing complete loyalty by coming out and stating this. Dwight is going to resign , especially with the xtra cash and Lakers FO showing him how they will back him and build a winner here.

[theFRANCHISE]

Mitch says Dwight deserves a statue in front of staples center one day lol

[Phil XI]

Mitch says Dwight deserves a statue in front of staples center one day lol

Kupchak: "We have no intention of trading Dwight Howard. He deserves to have his name on the wall at Staples Center."

I didn't hear the interview, so I am not sure if he said both.

[TyCobb]

Damn Mitch drinking the koolaid by the gallon.

[crazyeights]

Mitch says Dwight deserves a statue in front of staples center one day lol

For more, please see: Fair Weather Fan.

[GeorgeDillion]

Mitch says Dwight deserves a statue in front of staples center one day lol

Kupchak: "We have no intention of trading Dwight Howard. He deserves to have his name on the wall at Staples Center."

I didn't hear the interview, so I am not sure if he said both.

I listened to the interview and I'm pretty sure he said both.

[laduane1]

Dwightmare contines

[dockingsched]

there isn't anything wrong with mitch saying he hopes dwight one day gets his jersey retired or even has a statue built. when he was at his best and focused on the game, he was obviously the caliber of player worthy of such high hopes.

[Kilroy]

there isn't anything wrong with mitch saying he hopes dwight one day gets his jersey retired or even has a statue built. when he was at his best and focused on the game, he was obviously the caliber of player worthy of such high hopes.

I agree... It's the right play... In fact, it's the right play even if you plan to trade him.
I don't think we will.
But it's still a little hard to swallow considering Lakers fans have seen nothing from Dwight as a Laker that would make us draw favorable comparisons with the other retired jersey's much less a freaking statue.

[Jajwanda]

Mitch if you're not trading Pau, then how the heck do you think you can improve the team? You're good but seriously is it MWP you're trading? That would be great if it were MWP.

Since Minnesota seems so willing to take on veteran players, it'd be great if they gave a pick for him

[lakerRD]

there isn't anything wrong with mitch saying he hopes dwight one day gets his jersey retired or even has a statue built. when he was at his best and focused on the game, he was obviously the caliber of player worthy of such high hopes.

I agree... It's the right play... In fact, it's the right play even if you plan to trade him.
I don't think we will.
But it's still a little hard to swallow considering Lakers fans have seen nothing from Dwight as a Laker that would make us draw favorable comparisons with the other retired jersey's much less a freaking statue.

I generally agree from a basketball perspective.
But if you look at things from a busines perspective, there is no way the Lakers would want to trade Dwight.
They just got into a very lucrative TV deal with TWC.
Kobe will be done in 1-2 years.
They need a "superstar" to keep the ticket prices up and to get an extension on the TV deal.

They will do everything they can to appease Dwight and to keep him.

I believe Mitch when he says the Dwight is the future. The Laker FO truely believe that.

Hard to swallow from a fan/basketball perspective? Yes.
But a good/necessary business move? Absolutely

[Kilroy]

No, it's not a savvy business move... In fact it's the opposite of a savvy business move to throw all your support and all your hopes into a single, non-committal, under-achieving 'Superstar.'

The Lakers still have Kobe for a few years who is still a bigger financial draw than Dwight and will likely be for the rest of his career. They also still have Pau Gasol, (Hispanic market) and Steve Nash, who are both very marketable in their own rite...

The other aspect is that if Dwight walks, the Lakers will have plenty of cap room, after Kobe/Pau/etc drop off the payroll, to go after any stars they want.