Page 1 of 3
Mitch Kupchak: Hard to find anything to feel good about the Lakers
Posted: Tue Dec 8, 2015 6:10 pm
by Slava
"Clearly, three victories at this time is not what we thought we'd be. So that's frustrating and it's up to myself and Byron [Scott] to figure it out and hopefully have some improvement toward something that's more consistent, more fun to watch and less frustrating."
"I know people aren't happy but that also should be directed at me. That's the bottom line," Kupchak said. "Everybody has to share in the blame. Whether that's the GM, the coach or the players, it's got to be directed somewhere.
"I think our fans would understand if you're actually developing young players and there's some growth, and maybe that's yet to come. But in the first 20 games, it's tough to find consistent results to feel good about."
On Kobe's shot attempts:
"It's not a game that he plays by himself either. There are teammates that have to put him in positions and a coaching staff that has to put him in position where maybe he'd be more successful. It's hard to say after 20 games if this is it. Clearly, he's not the Kobe of old."
LA Times
Re: Mitch Kupchak: Hard to find anything to feel good about the Lakers
Posted: Tue Dec 8, 2015 6:34 pm
by rzzzzz
hard to ignore who they put out on the court to finish games. even so, they could sneak their young guys in earlier for more minutes if development was a top priority.
Re: Mitch Kupchak: Hard to find anything to feel good about the Lakers
Posted: Tue Dec 8, 2015 6:35 pm
by ArC_man
Seems like he's calling out Byron.
Re: Mitch Kupchak: Hard to find anything to feel good about the Lakers
Posted: Tue Dec 8, 2015 6:48 pm
by lake_show
I like what he said about putting players around Russell in the future to help him succeed.
As a fan it is frustrating to watch but at least with Mitch you get the sense he's aware that the fans exist and they have some level of expectation. I don't get that sense from BS. Too much if what he says contradicts too much of what he does. Saying you want to win and giving your two worst shooters more playing time and shots is contradictory to me.
The Kobe Retirement Tour is going to happen. Too much money tied into it to not. And rightfully so, he does deserve it. Mitch says the players and the coach have to help put Kobe in positions to help him succeed and I don't think BS hears the words "and the coach". Just my two cents i guess.
Re: Mitch Kupchak: Hard to find anything to feel good about the Lakers
Posted: Tue Dec 8, 2015 6:55 pm
by FrozenIceCubes
Mitch still looking for answers .
Perhaps to seek that answer he needs to clean house from the coaches and players... Mitch not supporting anything about this team is a big red flag IMO I would be shocked if something doesn't transpire this season with this team.
Re: Mitch Kupchak: Hard to find anything to feel good about the Lakers
Posted: Tue Dec 8, 2015 6:56 pm
by LApwnd
I put the blame SQUARELY on that undeserving, unqualified buffoon of a son Jim bob.
Re: Mitch Kupchak: Hard to find anything to feel good about the Lakers
Posted: Tue Dec 8, 2015 7:11 pm
by gts1
FrozenIceCubes wrote:Mitch still looking for answers .
Perhaps to seek that answer he needs to clean house from the coaches and players... Mitch not supporting anything about this team is a big red flag IMO I would be shocked if something doesn't transpire this season with this team.
How you came to that conclusion from reading the article is just amazing or maybe you didn't read it before commenting...
I read the article and find the very opposite to be true.. He's not happy with the results but he's still all in on everyone involved
Re: Mitch Kupchak: Hard to find anything to feel good about the Lakers
Posted: Tue Dec 8, 2015 7:23 pm
by FrozenIceCubes
gts1 wrote:FrozenIceCubes wrote:Mitch still looking for answers .
Perhaps to seek that answer he needs to clean house from the coaches and players... Mitch not supporting anything about this team is a big red flag IMO I would be shocked if something doesn't transpire this season with this team.
How you came to that conclusion from reading the article is just amazing or maybe you didn't read it before commenting...
I read the article and find the very opposite to be true.. He's not happy with the results but he's still all in on everyone involved
I don't need to read it to speculate what Mitch might be thinking.
He created the roster for short-term success that's enough reason why Mitch wants apart of the blame... He is admitting that he couldn't blend enough players he got so the team can find chemistry.... Not sure if not having a true spokesman like Dr. Buss or Jerry West is causing a affect but it's obvious that the whole situation is becoming a disaster.
Re: Mitch Kupchak: Hard to find anything to feel good about the Lakers
Posted: Tue Dec 8, 2015 7:24 pm
by madmaxmedia
FrozenIceCubes wrote:Mitch still looking for answers .
Perhaps to seek that answer he needs to clean house from the coaches and players... Mitch not supporting anything about this team is a big red flag IMO I would be shocked if something doesn't transpire this season with this team.
LApwnd wrote:I put the blame SQUARELY on that undeserving, unqualified buffoon of a son Jim bob.
In the current FO, my guess is that Mitch is largely a tactician, in that the overall strategy is being laid down by Jim. Problem is that if you're pointed in the wrong direction, it doesn't matter how efficient/effective you are in getting there.
Mitch has always been a very stand up guy about everything, and always references major decisions as "we" rather than "Jim" or "I". All GM's must operate within some parameters and occasionally will get edicts from above. But it feels way more so with Mitch.
Re: Mitch Kupchak: Hard to find anything to feel good about the Lakers
Posted: Tue Dec 8, 2015 7:29 pm
by LApwnd
madmaxmedia wrote:FrozenIceCubes wrote:Mitch still looking for answers .
Perhaps to seek that answer he needs to clean house from the coaches and players... Mitch not supporting anything about this team is a big red flag IMO I would be shocked if something doesn't transpire this season with this team.
LApwnd wrote:I put the blame SQUARELY on that undeserving, unqualified buffoon of a son Jim bob.
In the current FO, my guess is that Mitch is largely a tactician, in that the overall strategy is being laid down by Jim. Problem is that if you're pointed in the wrong direction, it doesn't matter how efficient/effective you are in getting there.
Mitch has always been a very stand up guy about everything, and always references major decisions as "we" rather than "Jim" or "I". All GM's must operate within some parameters and occasionally will get edicts from above. But it feels way more so with Mitch.
and this is why I dislike Jim even more, Mitch takes the brunt of all the criticism from fans and media. He is the one who always has to show face when "ish hits the fan" and where is Jim? Probably sitting in his office with his hat on, beer in 1 hand, the other in his pants

Re: Mitch Kupchak: Hard to find anything to feel good about the Lakers
Posted: Tue Dec 8, 2015 7:32 pm
by Laker_Kid
lol at "ahead of schedule"
Re: Mitch Kupchak: Hard to find anything to feel good about the Lakers
Posted: Tue Dec 8, 2015 8:31 pm
by moonpie
Mitch just needs to man up.
Re: Mitch Kupchak: Hard to find anything to feel good about the Lakers
Posted: Tue Dec 8, 2015 8:45 pm
by Jody Smokz
I don't understand why some fans go out of their way to absolve Mitch of any blame but put all the negative stuff on Jim. We don't know what kind of conversations they have. I've only heard 1 of the owners say anything stupid in regards to basketball and that was Jeanie.
For all we know Byron's hiring was forced by her, but lets not get into conspiracies. Let's deal with what's the likely reality.
1) Mitch/Jim work as a team and decided to hire Byron. No other team in the NBA was lining up to give Byron a job but they hired him anyway fully aware of his shortcomings or at least should have been aware.
2) The bench unit does not have a rim protector. Instead of giving Ed Davis 3 years 20M they decided to wait and lose him while pursuing Lou Williams lol. Lou while being a solid signing at the time should have been the least of their priorities. The team already had 2 combo guards in Clarkson and Russell and then add Kobe to the mix.
3) Brandon Bass was another pointless signing. They could have signed Bismack Biyambo for the same deal giving them solid rebounding and defense in a player that was in dire need of a change of scenery or gone with Ed Davis.
The roster is a mess and anyone thinking this was a playoff team considering the competition and coaching should never talk about basketball again.
Re: Mitch Kupchak: Hard to find anything to feel good about the Lakers
Posted: Tue Dec 8, 2015 8:53 pm
by Jody Smokz
I will say that I feel that Mitch is ready to move beyond and has been ready to move beyond the player/basketball product of Kobe but business wise the team can't really move past him, which is why he will play 34-36 min and close games til he get's injured.
Re: Mitch Kupchak: Hard to find anything to feel good about the Lakers
Posted: Tue Dec 8, 2015 9:36 pm
by Marionettetc
The team bottomed out after decades of trading draft picks and signing free agents. There's really no mystery to why the Lakers are bad right now.
I don't understand this sky is falling nonsense you guys are posting. No team is good every year, and for the first time I can even remember being a Lakers fan we actually have about three years worth of lottery picks moving forward to develop or trade for talent.
Re: Mitch Kupchak: Hard to find anything to feel good about the Lakers
Posted: Tue Dec 8, 2015 10:28 pm
by Jedi32
it's to early but i think mitch might be regretting taking russell. randle has been great and russell is still young but i see nothing that says he's going to be a great player and it's only a matter of time before fans turn on him. i mean look at a lot of posters here. we all knew it was going to be a long season and instead of folks enjoying the young guys,or watch kobe going into the sunset, all we hear is folks complaining about scott,ripping kobe,bass and whoever else. kind of sad really,and before anyone rushes in with the " no one is above criticism" talk, just understand that after a while it get's old.
Re: Mitch Kupchak: Hard to find anything to feel good about the Lakers
Posted: Tue Dec 8, 2015 10:31 pm
by crazyeights
FrozenIceCubes wrote:gts1 wrote:FrozenIceCubes wrote:Mitch still looking for answers .
Perhaps to seek that answer he needs to clean house from the coaches and players... Mitch not supporting anything about this team is a big red flag IMO I would be shocked if something doesn't transpire this season with this team.
How you came to that conclusion from reading the article is just amazing or maybe you didn't read it before commenting...
I read the article and find the very opposite to be true.. He's not happy with the results but he's still all in on everyone involved
I don't need to read it to speculate what Mitch might be thinking.
He created the roster for short-term success that's enough reason why Mitch wants apart of the blame... He is admitting that he couldn't blend enough players he got so the team can find chemistry.... Not sure if not having a true spokesman like Dr. Buss or Jerry West is causing a affect but it's obvious that the whole situation is becoming a disaster.
Right, don't read articles. Just keep posting. Now that's a recipe for success!
Re: Mitch Kupchak: Hard to find anything to feel good about the Lakers
Posted: Tue Dec 8, 2015 10:48 pm
by Jody Smokz
Why would he be regretting Russell? He's been playing relatively well the last 2 weeks. I mean Porzingis is killing it and maybe they should have gone that route but Russell has some serious talent. Im not sure what guys are expecting from a 19 year old guard having to fight for possession with Kobe, Lou and Clarkson. Once Kobe is gone I guarantee his game opens up.
Jedi32 wrote:it's to early but i think mitch might be regretting taking russell. randle has been great and russell is still young but i see nothing that says he's going to be a great player and it's only a matter of time before fans turn on him. i mean look at a lot of posters here. we all knew it was going to be a long season and instead of folks enjoying the young guys,or watch kobe going into the sunset, all we hear is folks complaining about scott,ripping kobe,bass and whoever else. kind of sad really,and before anyone rushes in with the " no one is above criticism" talk, just understand that after a while it get's old.
Re: Mitch Kupchak: Hard to find anything to feel good about the Lakers
Posted: Tue Dec 8, 2015 11:06 pm
by LApwnd
People who keep on harping about taking porzingis sure have a terrible illness called "hindsightis"....ok4 i can understand but gtfho if anyone here says they saw this type of player in porzingis, shoot the dam knicks fans was boong thepoor guy at the draft and dumb ass SAS went on his moronic torade about how terrible a pick that was
Re: Mitch Kupchak: Hard to find anything to feel good about the Lakers
Posted: Wed Dec 9, 2015 12:05 am
by The Skyhook
Honestly this has to been a shot at Scott after the benching of Russ and Randle. Despite everything, the development of the young players hasn't been bad. Clarkson has been our most consistent player while Russell and Randle were playing much better after slow starts to the season.