Mitch Kupchak Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lakers Notes: Deadline, Magic Johnson, Ingram

February 20th, 2017 at 7:33pm CST by Milo Taibi

Bill Plaschke of the L.A. Times is convinced Magic Johnson – recently hired as the Lakers‘ basketball and business advisor – will be calling the shots in the team’s front office. Johnson’s “advisor” title was merely an interim tag, Plaschke speculates, until this coming spring, when Jeanie Buss will rebuild the team’s front office around him.

“Johnson would call the shots that are now called by Jim Buss,” Plaschke writes. “He would be the voice that is currently Mitch Kupchak’s. He would essentially fill the role, both spiritually and practically, that Jerry Buss once entrusted to Jerry West.”

Latest On Magic Johnson, Lakers

February 14th, 2017 at 1:10pm CST by Luke Adams

After suggesting last week that he ultimately wants to “call the shots” for the Lakers, new team advisor Magic Johnson has clarified those comments, though he didn’t exactly walk them back. The Hall-of-Famer tells Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com that while Jim Buss is the one calling the shots in the Lakers’ front office for now, Johnson wants to be the one with the decision-making power in the future.

“When I say calling the shots, it’s more, ‘Somebody has to be the final decision-maker.’ I would love that to be me,” Johnson said. “Everybody has their input, and then somebody has to make the final call. Once we gather all the facts, I’d love to be the person making the final call.”

Although Johnson said that he doesn’t want to be the team’s general manager, he tells Shelburne that he’d welcome a role in which the Lakers’ GM reports to him.

“I’d rely on people to do that, and same persona would be the day-to-day person,” Johnson said. “Then I’d have that role where that person reports to me, and we’d talk about where we are, what we’re doing, whether that’s scouting players, whether that’s transactions, whether we’re going to extend a player. All those things.”

While Johnson admits he’s not the one calling the shots at this point, that hasn’t stopped him from talking about what he would do if he were in charge. Appearing on ESPN’s First Take, Johnson said today that he’d want Kobe Bryant to join him in the Lakers’ front office, since Bryant “understands winning.” According to Johnson, he’d ask Kobe what sort of role he’d want, and would be happy to take “whatever time he has.”

Here’s more on Johnson and his new role in Los Angeles:

In an interview on Monday with CBS This Morning, Johnson said he thinks it will take “three to five years” to get the Lakers back into contention, as Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News. Of course, Buss famously made a similar pronouncement three years ago, but the Lakers now have a few more young building blocks in place than they did in 2014.
According to Shelburne and Medina, Johnson is scheduled to meet next Monday with Buss and GM Mitch Kupchak to discuss where the Lakers’ roster stands and what’s next for the franchise.
The Lakers have been exploring potential trade options, but are considered unlikely to make a deal this month, since the structure of the front office remains up in the air, writes Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. League sources tell Kyler that they expect the team to stand pat unless there’s a “no-brainer” offer on the table to improve the club’s long-term outlook.
Jovan Buha of ESPN.com spoke to Lakers head coach Luke Walton about Johnson’s potential impact on the franchise going forward.

And-Ones: Christmas, Calderon, Fultz, Parker, Dolan

February 10th, 2017 at 8:35pm CST by Milo Taibi

A right Achilles tendon rupture has brought an end to Dionte Christmas‘ season, Jonathan Tannenwald of Philly.com reports. It’s an unfortunate development for the 30-year-old, as Christmas had averaged 14.9 points with 3.2 assists in 31 games with the Delaware 87ers. Delaware’s GM, Brandon Williams, lauded Christmas’ efforts in a team statement:

“[Christmas] has been a consummate professional, positive influence on the development of our young roster, and vital to our energy and drive. We will certainly miss his leadership on the court, but are inspired by his confidence as he attacks the next steps on the road to recovery.”

Magic Johnson Wants To ‘Call The Shots’ For Lakers

February 10th, 2017 at 8:46am CST by Luke Adams

After Magic Johnson officially rejoined the Lakers last week, the team was quick to downplay any potential tension it might cause in the front office, stressing that the Hall-of-Famer would be serving in an advisory role on basketball operations and business matters. However, Johnson revealed in a conversation with Josh Peter of USA Today that he may have larger aspirations.

“Working to call the shots, because it only works that way,” Johnson said when asked what he hopes his role with the team will be. “Right now I’m advising. I get that. But at the end of the day, then we all got to come together and somebody’s got to say, ‘I’m making the final call,’ all right? And who’s that going to be? … So, we’ll see what happens.”

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak and executive VP of basketball operations Jim Buss have made the personnel decisions in Los Angeles for the last several years. However, at least one recent report has been critical of the job Kupchak has done in free agency, and Buss vowed during the 2013/14 season that he’d step down in three or four years if the Lakers hadn’t developed into a title contender by that point.

With Johnson now entering that mix, it remains to be seen whether all three men will still be involved in basketball decisions during the coming offseason, and which of them will have the final say on roster moves. In comments to Peter, Johnson suggested that the decision on his role rests with owner Jeanie Buss, adding that he expects that decision to be made by the end of the season. In the meantime, the former Lakers star is hitting the books to brush up on the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement and salary cap.

“I’m going to school, for sure,” Johnson said. “Because I know talent. This part (evaluating players) comes easy, watching people play and seeing how they play, whose game hopefully can translate to the next level, those type of things. You’ll find out more as you get to interview them later on, the draft and workouts we have pre-draft. Then you’ll find out a lot more.

“The main part for me is really learning the other part that I didn’t know, and that is to understand the CBA, the salary cap, where we are in terms of the salary cap and who’s a free-agent-to-be. You’ve got a lot of young players so you’ve got to learn when are their contracts coming up, if you can give them the max deal, give them an extension, all those types of things you’ve got to learn. It’s a lot of things, but I’m excited.”

And-Ones: Lakers, Mozgov, Okafor, Wojnarowski

February 8th, 2017 at 10:58pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak didn’t want Timofey Mozgov to be tempted by other offers and that contributed to the team handing him a four-year, $64MM deal, a source tells Ramona Shelbourne of ESPN.com. Shelbourne adds that Luol Deng, who signed a four-year, $72MM deal with Los Angeles this past offseason, had other offers for his services, but no team gave him more than a three-year deal. Both Mozgov and Deng were recently relegated to the bench.

Here’s more from around the league:

The Lakers would need to attach a young prospect, such as Ivica Zubac or Larry Nance Jr., to Deng or Mozgov if they want to move one of their free agent additions, Shelbourne writes in the same piece. She adds that the contracts of Deng and Mozgov are not problematic for Los Angeles right now, but they will be soon, as Julius Randle and D’Angelo Russell will be eligible for extensions over the next couple offseasons.
Jahlil Okafor, who we profiled as a trade candidate, is making the most of his increased minutes, John Reid of The Time-Picayune writes. Okafor was the subject of trade rumors earlier in the week with the Pelicans being the latest team to show interest in him.
The Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s D-League affiliate, have acquired center Prince Ibeh and waived forward Lazar Hayward, according to a team press release.
Adrian Wojnarowski of the Vertical is close to joining ESPN, multiple sources tell Kevin Draper of Deadspin.

GM Mitch Kupchak Has Cost The Lakers In Free Agency

February 8th, 2017 at 8:01pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Magic Johnson, who was recently hired as a special advisor to Lakers co-owner Jeanie Buss, has heard from agents and executives around the league that GM Mitch Kupchak‘s management style is frustrating to deal with and it has cost the team in free agency, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. Shelburne names Isaiah Thomas, Kent Bazemore, Kyle Lowry and Pau Gasol among the players who have signed elsewhere because of the GM.

“He’s the only GM in the league who won’t engage at all before 9:01 p.m. [PT] on the first night of free agency. Then when he calls to express interest, there’s no stickiness to it,” an anonymous player agent said of dealing with Kupchak.

Of course, speaking with players before the opening of free agency technically qualifies as tampering, though Shelburne notes that there are ways of gathering information on free agents without breaking the rules, so that the team doesn’t begin the process behind the competition. The Lakers aren’t operating like other franchises and it has contributed to the lack of success in free agency. Kupchak’s decision to chase stars has also been problematic.

Thomas told ESPN’s Zach Lowe back in 2014 that he always envisioned himself playing for the Lakers, but the franchise was “waiting on Carmelo Anthony and other moves” when he was a free agent during the summer of 2014. In the same summer, the Lakers were interested in signing Lowry, but they told him they would prefer to wait until Anthony made a decision. Anthony never came to the Lakers and both players signed elsewhere.

During the 2015 offseason, Los Angeles told Bazemore to wait on an offer while it unsuccessfully chased LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Monroe, and DeAndre Jordan. Bazemore ended up becoming a free agent again after a successful 2015/16 campaign with Atlanta. This time, the Lakers went after him more aggressively, presenting him with an offer that was more lucrative than Atlanta’s. However, Bazemore decided to be loyal to the team that gave him an expanded role and re-signed with Atlanta.

According to Shelburne, Kupchak rarely communicates with Jeanie Buss because he believes that he only reports to her brother Jim, who handles the team’s basketball operations. She handles the business affairs and mostly stays away from transactions on the court. Buss has often said that she learns of the on-court decisions through the news or texts from her brother.

Johnson is keeping an open mind when evaluating whether or not Kupchak should stay on as GM. As an advisor, he doesn’t have decision-making power, but he is expected to help Jeanie Buss reassess the basketball operations side of the franchise. Kupchak has been in the organization since 1986 when Johnson was a player on the team.

After the All-Star break, Jim Buss, Johnson, and Kupchak will meet to discuss the team’s moves over the last several seasons.

“I’m taking Magic at face value, that he’s here to help,” Jim Buss said. “He’s one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Who wouldn’t value his opinion? I’m excited to work with Magic for years to come.”

Pacific Notes: Anthony, Clippers, Lakers, Papagiannis

February 5th, 2017 at 8:44pm CST by Austin Kent

The Western Conference is an offensive arms race, writes Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, and in order for the Clippers to keep up with teams like the Warriors and Rockets, they’ll need to trade for Carmelo Anthony.

Even when Clippers veteran Chris Paul returns from a thumb injury, the Clippers will have some work to do if they want a legitimate shot at making it to the NBA Finals, especially as the teams in contention around them continue to improve. Anthony’s ability to score the ball, Hernandez suggests, could shift L.A.’s fortune. What’s more, the presence of Anthony on the roster could influence pending free agents Paul and Blake Griffin to stay in town.

On Thursday, a report from Marc Berman of the New York Post discussed the idea of Anthony ultimately coming off the bench for the Clippers, as opposed to getting shipped off to Cleveland and replacing Kevin Love on the Cavaliers. There, and again in Hernandez’s column, the idea is floated that Anthony could be acquired without any of Griffin, Paul or DeAndre Jordan involved in an outgoing package.

It’s hard not to like the sound of an Austin Rivers and Jamal Crawford package if you’re a Clippers fan but there’s no indication that those pieces alone would be enough to convince the Knicks to pull the trigger.

There’s more out of the Pacific Division:

The Lakers made the decision to bring Magic Johnson back into the executive fold and the move could have a significant impact on the franchise, writes Sam Amick of USA Today. The fact that Johnson will advise on both business and basketball decisions could eat into Jim Buss‘ role. Buss, the team’s vice president of basketball operations, once said that he would step aside from the position if the Lakers weren’t contending for titles by 2017.
In addition to the uncertainty surrounding Jim Buss’ future role with the Lakers organization, general manager Mitch Kupchak‘s job is reported to be “on the line,” writes Bill Oram of the Orange County Register.
The Clippers need to do a better job distributing backcourt minutes, writes Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times, citing inconsistent workloads as a possible concern for a team that’s already struggled with injuries. “Usually Austin or Raymond Felton has a big-minute night, and we try to reverse it the next night, especially when we go with three guards,” head coach Doc Rivers said. “When we play bigger, it’s easier, so that’s the other solution to it.”
The Kings have benefited substantially from their D-League affiliation with the Reno Bighorns, writes Chris Reichert of The Step Back, and nowhere is that more evident than in the development of lottery pick Georgios Papagiannis. The club is able to work with Papagiannis and stay involved with his growth as a player in ways that they never would be able to had he been stashed abroad.
Seven-year veteran Eric Bledsoe continues to make strides for the Suns and is enjoying his best season as a pro. “He’s taking amazing steps in his development,” head coach Earl Watson said Thursday . “It’s allowed him to become more efficient, and he’s seeing the game differently. What’s scary, in a positive way, is that he still has room to grow.”

Lakers Notes: Magic, Jim Buss, Walton, Draft

February 3rd, 2017 at 12:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Magic Johnson will have the freedom to do whatever he wants in his new role as an advisor to the Lakers, writes Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. A news release issued by the team listed Johnson’s duties as “advising ownership on all business and basketball matters,” and Bontemps believes he will have a significant role in crafting the team’s future. That could include an ouster of executive vice president of basketball operations Jim Buss, whom Johnson has frequently criticized in the past. Johnson offered an olive branch to Buss on Thursday, saying, “Jim is calling the shots, and I want him to understand, I’m just here to lend advice,” but Bontemps says no one in the organization believes that.

There’s more news from Los Angeles:

Johnson’s hiring signals a major shakeup and the likely end of Jim Buss’ time with the team, according to Bill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times. Plaschke predicts the Lakers will become more attractive to free agents as Johnson brings in someone new to run the organization. The writer also expects Luke Walton to be kept as head coach and Mitch Kupchak to be replaced as general manager, but remain with the team as an advisor.
Walton hopes to build the Lakers in the image of a team that was once their greatest rival, relays Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com. Growing up, the first-year head coach was greatly influenced by the 1985/86 champion Celtics that his father Bill was part of. “Everything that I’ve seen of basketball I thought should be played the way that Celtics team played,” Luke Walton said. “That was the standard of how basketball should be played — fast-paced, free-flowing, passing, high-scoring type of basketball. It was beautiful and historic.”
The Lakers shouldn’t hesitate to take an elite point guard in this year’s draft even though they already have D’Angelo Russell, according to Chad Ford and Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com [Insider account]. Ford sees either Washington’s Markelle Fultz or UCLA’s Lonzo Ball as an upgrade, while Pelton notes Russell’s ability as a shooter and suggests that he could be moved to the two guard position.

Lakers GM On Ingram, Russell, Team’s Future

January 30th, 2017 at 8:53pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak said he’s very excited about the future of the franchise, as he tells David Aldridge of NBA.com.

“I think we’ve got six or seven young players that I think all have a great future in front of them,” Kupchak said. “And we have a mix of older veterans that I think are going to help our young guys mature and make progress. We’re very excited about the future, and the development of the young players on this team.”

Kupchak added that he feels Brandon Ingram is making steady improvements this season. He believes the rookie can become a Giannis Antetokounmpo–type player down the road but also admits that the team doesn’t know where Ingram’s greatest strengths are yet.

“I think it’s going to be a challenge to figure out where he’s most productive, whether it’s bringing the ball up the floor and facilitating, or is it catching the ball on the wing and making a play? We don’t know yet. But for the last month or so, he’s demonstrated he can bring the ball up the floor. He doesn’t lose it. I don’t think that part’s the question. I think it’s a matter of us figuring out where he can be most productive,” Kupchak said.

The GM gave a similar answer when he was asked about D’Angelo Russell. The team is still evaluating its young guys, though he believes the roster has the necessary pieces to play at a high level on both the offensive and defensive ends.

It was reported earlier in the month that Los Angeles isn’t expected to trade Ingram, Russell and Julius Randle. The team is reportedly unlikely to trade Larry Nance Jr. or Jordan Clarkson as well.

Lakers Rumors: Young Core, Millsap, Noel, Odom

January 11th, 2017 at 2:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak indicated last month that he’d be perfectly happy not to make a trade this season, since he’s pleased with the young talent on his roster. So far, the Lakers’ discussions with teams have reflected that stance. League sources tell Sean Deveney of The Sporting News that Los Angeles hasn’t included Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, or D’Angelo Russell in any trade talks, and that isn’t expected to change in the coming weeks. According to Deveney, young role players like Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson are also unlikely to be moved.

While the Lakers aren’t eager to break up their young core, there are indications that the team is still exploring possible trade options. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, the Lakers were among the clubs to express interest in Paul Millsap before Atlanta pulled him off the market. L.A. would also have interest in Nerlens Noel if and when the Sixers get serious about moving him, Deveney writes. For now though, the club appears content to exercise some patience and move forward with its current roster.

Here’s more from out of L.A.:

One Western Conference scout who spoke to Deveney had high praise for the Lakers’ young trio of Ingram, Randle, and Russell. “If you made a list of the 20 best players who are 22 or under, I think you’d have to have all three of the Lakers’ young guys on there,” the scout said. “They’re three of the best young guys in the league. There’s really not a lot of teams can say that, and I think a lot of mediocre teams would like to swap rosters with the Lakers right now.”
Asked by TMZ about whether he had any interest in returning to the NBA as a coach, former Lakers forward Lamar Odom admitted that he has thought about it, acknowledging that he even contact head coach Luke Walton to convey his interest.
The idea of Odom joining the Lakers’ staff under Walton probably isn’t a realistic one at this point, according to Mark Medina of The Orange County Register, who notes that the team is mindful of Odom’s continuous recovery. Nonetheless, Walton isn’t shutting that door. “Lamar would be great,” the Lakers’ head coach said of his former teammate. “Anyone who knows Lamar, when he’s right, he is one of the most likeable people they’ve been around. He has a great knowledge of the game and has a great way of communicating with people.”