Mitch Kupchak on the Woj podcast

[Landsberger]

I still will never understand why people have an issue wih the Kobe contract. It was the only move they could’ve made. Same people that complain about it probably would’ve lost their minds to see him in another uniform.

Because it basically delayed our rebuild for two years. I understand the need for it given his position of extreme adulation with our fan base -- if anybody earned that kind of loyalty, it's him -- but I'm pretty ruthless when it comes to sports. Personally, I would have been more than happy to see us move on, fans be damned. But I recognize I'm probably very much in the minority on that.

You’re completely right, and I would’ve preferred this route too, but I don’t think it’s something the front office could’ve done, considering factors outside of basketball.

Like the local cable deal negotiations.... They get paid by ratings. The more it's watched the more they get from ads and the more the owner's get from the deal. Without Kobe there is a gap that the owners didn't want to have. I think it's still a decider for us in our personnel moves. A new regime but the same "instant" contender mentality. It's a business first and when you have no other source of income and a certain lifestyle to maintain it's more important than we think.

[danfantastk32]

I still will never understand why people have an issue wih the Kobe contract. It was the only move they could’ve made. Same people that complain about it probably would’ve lost their minds to see him in another uniform.

I have 3 issues with it:

1) He was still injured at the time, and was under contract, so it really didn't need to be done then. He came back and played like 6-8 games before being hurt again, and missing the rest of that season.

2) There was nobody who was going to offer him even half of what we offered. We had already given him a $90 mil 3-year extension prior to that extension. So he had already had his 'thank you'.

3) The way they fed us a bunch of BS about having the cap space to sign 2 more stars, and all that.

The whole thing had this air about it of ownership who didn't really know where they were going...and what they were doing....but let's get our beloved star wrapped up (no matter what condition he's in) because that would be media "damage control" the the swirling toilet in every other facet. To me the whole thing was a microcosm of the disaster up top, and their lack of guts....ideas.....ability to think outside the box even slightly.

4) <----Im going to add #4. I love Kobe......but I will never hear his saying "all I care about is winning #6" the same after he signed that contract.


They may have felt stuck.....but he played those two extra years...and they were TERRIBLE (not just for him, but for the whole team) and when he left....we had nothing. We were the same heap we were 2 years earlier. And here we fans still are. We were going nowhere. The idea that we needed him for the fans (and I LOVE Kobe) is honestly insulting.

It was a "tickets sold" move (and I argue it being a good one at that) and I always hated that move. Kobe was a great Laker, but this franchise had done a TON for him the 17-18 years prior. I think they shoulda called in the debt, and let him show his true colors. If he'd honestly left after all we'd done.....it woulda been worth knowing.

I will be nice and excuse Dwight blindsiding management......but the second he left, this team needed to go into full, full, full rebuild mode, with or without Kobe.

[dontforget]

Whether or Mitch deserved to be fired isn't the issue for me. It was how he was fired. The man gave 39 years to this franchise. Brought championships to this franchise and was tossed aside like spoiled leftovers. That's beneath this franchise and incredibly insulting.

Jeanie and Magic need to get their head out of their asses and at recognize the greatness Mitch brought to this franchise. That's what a true leader like Dr. Buss would have done.