Mitch Kupchak Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Western Notes: Howard, Kobe, Robinson, Blazers

October 28th, 2014 at 8:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Lakers co-owner Jeanie Buss believes her team let Dwight Howard down during his year there, wants Kobe Bryant to continue playing after his contract expires in 2016, and also tells USA Today’s Sam Amick that the organization is functioning more smoothly with Phil Jackson off to New York:

“I think it is trying to find how we’re going to operate together. I believe that Phil was a source of conflict between me and my brother and Mitch, I guess, as well. And now that Phil, as of six months ago, is now off the market and has a job – isn’t in the wings – that source of conflict is removed. And I think that the way we operate is becoming more clear. I’m satisfied with everybody’s role, and now we just need everybody to step up and do what is required of them. For me, that means stepping up and talking about the organization and being the face of the organization and establishing the clear lines of authority and transparency and, ultimately, accountability, which lies on my shoulders.”

Buss adds that fellow co-owner and brother Jim Buss, along with GM Mitch Kupchak, have assured her that the team will make progress in win column each season in the coming years. More from the West..

Although the Blazers declined to pick up his team option of $4.7MM for the 2015/16 season, Thomas Robinson expressed his desire to remain in Portland, writes Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. “I don’t think that worry should be even close. I want to stay thinking positive and that’s what I’m going to continue to do. Hopefully toward the end of the summer, the Blazers have a different mindset and they want to bring me back, because I want to be a part of this team. Something special is happening here. I want to be a part of it,” Robinson said.
Howard says he didn’t bolt from the Lakers because of Kobe, as Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. “I didn’t leave L.A. because I was afraid of Kobe Bryant,” Howard said. “I went to a good situation for myself. I can’t change people’s opinions, but I did what I had to do for myself.”
The Lakers expect big things out of offseason acquisition Carlos Boozer, an assistant coach tells Ryan Primeaux of Lakers.com. “He’s a double-double virtually every night when he’s on his game. He provides leadership. He provides a constant, consistent low-post game, and the ability to step away from the basket and keep defenses honest. So he will definitely provide stability for us in the bigs department,” the unnamed coach told Primeaux.

Chuck Myron and Chris Crouse contributed to this post.

Lakers Notes: Kupchak, Bryant, Roster

September 26th, 2014 at 9:02pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak spoke with reporters today in advance of the team’s media day on Monday and the opening of training camp on Tuesday. The season for Los Angeles starts and ends with the health of Kobe Bryant, who has quite a few miles on his legs after 18 seasons in the NBA. The talent around Bryant hasn’t improved much over last season, so it doesn’t look like L.A. will need to clear space in the rafters of the Staples Center for another title banner anytime soon.

Here’s what’s happening in Lakerland:

Kupchak believes that Los Angeles’ current roster can make the playoffs, Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News tweets. When asked if L.A. could contend this year Kupchak said, “Yes we can, Every year, our goal is the same, which is to win a championship.”
Discussing Bryant, Kupchak said he believed Kobe would perform at the level he did prior to the Achilles injury, Medina notes (Twitter link).
Los Angeles didn’t snag any big names in free agency this offseason, but not for the lack of trying. Kupchak said he always thought it was a longshot to get either LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony, but did say the Lakers “came close” to nabbing one, according to Medina (Twitter link).
Kupchak said in regards to LeBron and ‘Melo, “We never felt it was realistic we could get one of the two. But if you don’t try you don’t know,” as Mike Bresnahan of The Los Angeles Times tweets.

And-Ones: Love, Mudiay, Byron Scott

July 29th, 2014 at 10:22pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Here are a few miscellaneous news and notes to pass along out of the Association tonight:

It’s a safe bet that Kevin Love will be traded from the Timberwolves before opening night this upcoming season, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
The NCAA had cleared top 2015 draft prospect Emmanuel Mudiay to play academically, but there were still issues about his status as an amateur when he decided earlier this month to instead play in China, multiple sources tell Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (Twitter link).
Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak insisted in a press conference today that the team saw Byron Scott as its preferred candidate from the beginning of its coaching search, as Mike Trudell of Lakers.com notes via Twitter. Kupchak also said that Scott’s appeal to Lakers fans and experience as a former Lakers player played a role in the team’s decision, tweets Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Former Warriors coach Mark Jackson has changed agents, dropping Arn Tellem in favor of Rich Paul, the agent for LeBron James, TNT’s David Aldridge reports amid his Morning Tip column for NBA.com. Jackson denied a report before the Cavs hired David Blatt that he was interested in Cleveland’s head coaching job.
Hawks swingman Kyle Korver has gone from being the 51st pick in the 2003 draft to arguably becoming one of the league’s most valuable role players, and Grantland’s Zach Lowe takes a comprehensive look at the evolution of the sharpshooter’s game over the years. In another piece, Lowe briefly touches on the effect that Jeff Hornacek had on Korver’s development when Hornaceck was an assistant on the Jazz.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Lakers Notes: Scott, Kelly, Henry, Johnson

July 15th, 2014 at 10:43pm CST by Ryan Raroque

There are a few notable links to pass along regarding the Lakers tonight, and you can find them below:

Medina also confirms the earlier report that Scott will be interviewing with Kupchak and Buss tomorrow. Their meeting will likely involve discussions about the team’s personnel following their recent roster moves, although no offers or contract negotiations regarding the head coaching job are expected yet (Twitter links).

Earlier updates:

GM Mitch Kupchack and Jim Buss will meet with Byron Scott tomorrow, sources tell Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link). As we noted last month, Scott appears to be the leading candidate to be the team’s next head coach.
Ryan Kelly is expected to reach a deal with the team soon, tweets Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
Medina adds that while the Lakers like Xavier Henry, no deal is imminent. As for Wesley Johnson, it appears unlikely that he’ll be kept.
In another piece, Medina writes that it isn’t clear if they’ll make a bid for recently-amnestied forward Carlos Boozer. He also says that the team is expected to sign 2014 second-round pick Jordan Clarkson soon.
If L.A. does plan to go after Boozer, Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times explains how L.A. can clear some cap room to make a more competitive bid during the waiver period.

Western Notes: Lakers, Love, Curry, Grizzlies

May 29th, 2014 at 7:10pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Jeanie Buss will have have a hand in helping Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss find the team’s next head coach, report Mike Bresnahan and Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times, who add that the three Lakers executives will present a recommendation to the other four Buss siblings — Joey, Jesse, Johnny Buss, and Janie Buss Drexel — once the list of coaching candidates is narrowed down.

A person familiar with the team’s coaching search tells Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News that eliciting the input of other members of the Buss family doesn’t imply that the next Lakers head coach will be decided by committee. “Does that mean (everyone involved) will decide who the coach is going to be? No…It’s not like there’s going to be seven people making that decision.”

Here’s more out of the Western Conference tonight, including more from the purple-and-gold:

According to Medina, the Lakers anticipate that the feedback of the four other Buss siblings will address logistical issues, such as the length and amount of the coaching contract, rather than the selection of the coach.
The Timberwolves want Kevin Love to stay in Minnesota, but team GM Milt Newton is confident about moving forward if they can’t find a way to retain the star big man. “If (keeping Love isn’t) the case, you best believe we’ll be a better team based on what happens.” Newton also says that plenty of teams are “planting seeds early” on the trade market right now to let other clubs know what their intent is (Twitter links via Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune).
Stephen Curry spoke about his raw feelings concerning the Warriors ouster of Mark Jackson, but he hasn’t lost faith in the organization and is anxious to continue his dialogue with new coach Steve Kerr, as the star guard told reporters today. Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle provides a transcript, which also includes Curry’s comments supporting a new deal for Klay Thompson.
Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger said that he’ll have input on the process of hiring a new general manager in Memphis, reports Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal. “The plan is not going to be revealed. But the process has begun.”

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Kupchak On Lakers Offseason

May 21st, 2014 at 8:47pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak held a conference call today to discuss the state of the team as well as addressing the ongoing coaching search and upcoming NBA Draft. The transcripts were posted on NBA.com. Here are the highlights:

On receiving the seventh pick and if he thinks there is anyone in the draft who can change the face of the franchise at that spot:

“I wouldn’t say it was bad luck. We were hoping to get lucky, but as you know we could have dropped down to number nine, too. We were hoping to get lucky, or at worst case, stay where we were, but it could have been worse. As far as what [Boston Celtics Executive] Danny [Ainge] said, that’s up to him. We think drafting number seven, there is going to be a good player available there. Maybe Danny is talking more about a guy that changes the face of an organization from the get-go, but you can’t really evaluate these things until years later when you look back on it. Damian Lillard is a great example. I don’t think anybody thought walking through the draft that he would turn into the player [he is] as quickly as he did, but looking back on it is a heck of a selection. We will be able to get a good player, and we are hoping that three or four years from now we can look back on it and he is even a better player than we thought.”

On the impact a player selected seventh overall can make:

“Well, it depends. Most of the players in the draft for the last 15 to 18 years have been young, developing players and some of them make a contribution quicker than others. There are certainly a couple of guys that played more than two years. There is a kid that played four years that might make a contribution quicker. I’m not saying he would be someone we would consider or not consider at seven. My point is, typically – and we have kind of gotten used to it over the years – you do have to work with the younger player and those are the guys that get drafted the highest, whether they are freshman or sophomore, it may take a year or two.”

On the variables the front office is measuring in potential coaching candidates and whether they want to pursue a veteran coach or a young coach:

“I think right now, our interviews will be formal in terms of sitting down and talking for a couple of hours, but at some point, we will probably have to sit down and talk a second time. I think that is where we are right now, at the beginning of the process. Whether it is a veteran coach or a rookie coach, that is not something we are prepared to comment on right now.”

On if there are particular offensive and defensive philosophies the Lakers are looking for in a coaching candidate:

“I wouldn’t use the word philosophy, but we have a player on our team right now who is proven in this league. Offensively, he can score and that certainly is a consideration. Obviously I’m talking about Kobe [Bryant]. He is under contract for two more years and we think he is a very integral part of this team. We have to make sure that whoever we hire as a coach will really get the most productivity out of him, whether it is scoring the ball or playmaking or the threat that he may score. That is probably a primary importance right now.”

On if they will focus on the drafting in the seventh spot or continue to look at other options:

“We started last night calling and trying to set up workouts with probably everybody on our board in the top 15 to 20. Some of those guys don’t think they are going to be there at seven so they won’t come in. There is nothing we can do about that. But some guys that are drafted later, and you may say ‘well why bring in a guy that might go 20?’ Well you never know, number one, and number two, you have the opportunity to develop a relationship with a player. Why not do it? So that started last night.”

Mitch Kupchak On Draft, D’Antoni, Kobe

May 12th, 2014 at 5:09pm CST by Zachary Links

After finishing with the worst record in the Pacific Division, the Lakers are looking to turn things around in a major way. The Lakers bid farewell to coach Mike D’Antoni and they could be moving on from free agent Pau Gasol as well. In advance of the NBA Lottery, GM Mitch Kupchak took some time out from his schedule to talk with Mike Trudell of Lakers.com about the road ahead. The whole Q&A is worth reading but we’ll provide a few of the highlights here..

Does having only three players on the roster right now for next season change how you approach the coaching hire?

You do take into consideration the make up of your roster. Although I won’t rule out hiring a coach prior to the lottery on May 20, I think it’s likely that we don’t, because that’s really the first step in terms of additional information for this franchise. Let’s find out what kind of pick we have. That may even help us decide what direction to go with for our coach. It will be a consideration.

Does the search for D’Antoni’s replacement and the uncertainty over where you’ll pick effect your draft preparations?

As you mentioned, May 20 is the lottery, and it’s hard to focus 100% on the draft until you know where you’re drafting. If the stars all line up and you get No. 1 instead of No. 9, there’s a difference, and it’s impossible to schedule workouts because the agents won’t cooperate until they know where you’re drafting. That part of it has proved uneventful, and probably won’t change until the 20th. We are working on setting up some interviews, and we’ve been successful, but you’re not going to really get moving on it until the agents know where you’re drafting.

You’ve been criticized for the contract extension that was given to Kobe Bryant. How does it factor into the way you build this team over the next two seasons, with salary cap implications and so on, and how would things look different if you’d given him less money?

When we gave Kobe the extension, we took a lot of factors into consideration, including the factors you just mentioned. We felt it was the thing to do. We’re still in a position to be a big player in the free agent market. Signing Kobe when we did, we felt, gave us one of the top two or three free agents that would be available this summer. We had the rare opportunity to get that done and not have to wait until July 1. Everybody can debate whether they would have waited or not, but our mindset was: ‘This is somebody we can get done now, and we still have a chance to be a player financially with free agency.’ Cap space is valuable and you don’t want to misuse it. You do have to use it, but you don’t have to use it going forward unless you want to.

Lakers Rumors: D’Antoni, Kupchak, Jeanie Buss

April 9th, 2014 at 12:19pm CST by Chuck Myron

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak has as much job security as anyone with a fresh extension in hand, but the same can’t be said for coach Mike D’Antoni. We have more on both members of the Lakers braintrust, as we detail:

Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com hears the Lakers aren’t leaning toward keeping D’Antoni for next season (video link), which conflicts with last week’s dispatch from Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report. If anything, the Lakers are leaning toward firing him, McMenamin says, but Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News seconds Ding’s original report, tweeting that the Lakers are indeed leaning toward keeping their coach.
D’Antoni “probably” won’t be around next season, writes Sam Amick of USA Today, adding that the coach nonetheless has Kupchak’s respect.
Late Lakers owner Jerry Buss had Byron Scott on a shortlist of coaching candidates, Amick notes in the same piece, though it’s unclear if the Buss family would want to pursue him.
D’Antoni is weary from a losing season and heaps of criticism, but he still wants to coach the Lakers, as Amick observes. “Hey look, this is a great place,” D’Antoni said. “Any player who has a destination of L.A. — it’s pretty good. I’ve been lucky to be here. I don’t want to say, ‘Oh yeah [I’ll be back],’ but I don’t know. And I’m sure that everybody is going to have to sit down and figure it out. I think the franchise will have a way that they want to get to the best, to the top, and you go with it. And if I’m included in that, great. That’s how it goes.”
Part of the reason the Lakers extended Kupchak is so he wouldn’t enter next season on an expiring contract, Medina tweets.
This season “isn’t how we roll,” Lakers owner Jeanie Buss tells Patt Morrison of the Los Angeles Times, but Buss nonetheless sees bright spots and is optimistic the team is on the right path for the future. Buss also touches on fiancee and Knicks president Phil Jackson and her working relationship with brother and co-owner Jim Buss.

Lakers Sign GM Mitch Kupchak To Extension

April 9th, 2014 at 8:29am CST by Chuck Myron

The Lakers have extended their contract with GM Mitch Kupchak, tweets Mike Trudell of Lakers.com, confirming a report from Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. Kupchak’s contract was set to expire after 2014/15, but it’s a multiyear extension, according to Shelburne, which indicates that it will run through at least 2016/17. The terms and the precise length of the extension are unclear, though Shelburne notes that Kupchak has long been one of the highest-paid executives in the NBA (Twitter link).

The timing of the deal is odd, considering the Lakers have clinched their worst record since moving to Los Angeles, and they come off a summer in which Dwight Howard left the Lakers to sign with the Rockets in a rare case of a superstar spurning the purple-and-gold. That the Lakers made the move now shows the regard the Buss family, which owns the Lakers, has for Kupchak, and it’s essentially a vote of confidence in him, Shelburne writes. Kupchak first joined the Lakers front office in 1986 after spending the last five years of his playing career with the team.

Kupchak, one of the NBA’s longest-tenured GMs, has held his current job since the summer of 2000. That was the same offseason that Joe Dumars took over the Pistons front office, and a report Tuesday indicated that Dumars plans to resign soon. The Lakers have won four championships on Kupchak’s watch. Kupchak works in tandem with co-owner and executive vice president of player personnel Jim Buss, who has authority over the team’s basketball decisions.

Lakers Notes: Kaman, Buss Family, Jackson

March 26th, 2014 at 10:30am CST by Chuck Myron

The Lakers set a franchise record for their largest margin of defeat earlier this season, but Tuesday they put up the first 51-point quarter in team history during a rout of the Knicks. All of it still adds up to a lottery appearance, and Tuesday’s win only makes the job of landing a top-five pick tougher. Here’s more on the purple-and-gold:

Chris Kaman made it clear early in the season that he’s not pleased with his role on the Lakers, and the team’s efforts to trade him at the deadline came up short. He made a rare appearance in the starting lineup Tuesday, but he’s still frustrated and isn’t on speaking terms with coach Mike D’Antoni, as Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times details. The 11th-year center, a free agent at season’s end, told reporters that he regrets not “doing due diligence” to investigate the team before signing this past summer.
A majority of the Buss family was at one point reportedly in favor of Phil Jackson returning to the Lakers, but the family didn’t strongly support him for a role that would have placed him above GM Mitch Kupchak, notes Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter links). The family was, at best, split on that idea, Shelburne says.
The specter of Jackson is a frequent media talking point, but Lakers players have put the issue out of their minds, as Jodie Meeks told reporters, including fellow ESPNLosAngeles.com scribe Dave McMenamin.