The Los Angeles Lakers are having perhaps the worst season in team history, and not many things have gone their way. Fans want nothing more than to forget this season ever happened, and they want serious repercussions for those that helped run the team into the ground.
So how do the Lakers respond to their fans pleas? By giving GM Mitch Kupchak a multi-year extension.
Lakers have given GM Mitch Kupchak's a multi-year extension, sources tell ESPN http://t.co/Pl204PnpXm
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) April 9, 2014
Shelbourne went into a bit more detail in a post on ESPN.
The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a multiyear extension with general manager Mitch Kupchak, sources with knowledge of the situation said Tuesday night.
Kupchak has presided over four NBA championships since succeeding Jerry West as the Lakers general manager in 2000. He has been with the organization since retiring as a player in 1986.
With the Lakers in the midst of the worst season in franchise history, the extension for Kupchak solidifies his role and is a reflection of the esteem in which he is held by the Buss family.
The timing of the extension is also effectively a vote of confidence to reflect the Buss families’ trust in him to shape the future of the organization, sources said.
That last bit from Shelbourne about timing is interesting. News of the deal was broken while the Lakers were playing the Houston Rockets in a national television game. And losing by 26 points. On their way to the Lakers 53rd loss of the season, which also happens to be the most in franchise history.
Now this one bad season in no way means that Kupchak does not deserve an extension. The man has presided over four NBA Champions in his tenure and has definitely done enough to warrant some job security.
The timing of the news leaking is just a bit curious.
Maybe next time Shelbourne and the Lakers sources should wait until fans are not sitting through yet another blowout before announcing a reward for the GM who presided over the worst Laker team in 50 years. Just a thought.