Mitch Kupchak gives update on the state of the Lakers, D'Angelo Russell, Kobe Bryant and more

It's just such a mixed message: 3 wins is unacceptable . . . but we're going to let the coach continue to do whatever he thinks he needs to do and we'll stay hands off even though he isn't winning. So in other words we're staying the course, and we're going to lose a lot more. The only thing I can take away from that is that the FO is cool with tanking this year. Otherwise you would demand that he changed what he was doing.

Leaving the kids to be benched and only play 20 minutes makes absolutely no sense . . . unless you are trying to tank, seeing as they are our best players. Randle was coming off two straight double doubles when he got benched and Russell exploded for 23 and 24 points and is headed back to the bench. That means you are trying to lose. There's no other reasonable explanation. Why would you penalize guys for playing well? Because you don't want to do well.

 

Well he did say that they can't keep losing so what I actually heard was:

"We're going to let Byron know what we expect, but let him do his thing. HOWEVER if he doesn't start winning games, we'll be forced to fire him now instead of later. The plan is to let him coach his way out of the NBA this summer and then fire him, but that time frame can be moved up if we don't see significant changes. We'll let him mess with the lineups if he thinks that'll motivate the players, but we don't want a reputation as an organization that meddles in their coach's affairs. His failures will be his and we'll move on as we see fit."

In other words there's a certain record/expectation that the FO has for the win-loss column. There's some number that the Lakers refuse to accept. I think if we go into the All-Star break with less than 10 wins, he's gone.

 

I don't know what to think any more real. Maybe they know something we don't and are tanking on purpose. It's basically impossible for me to figure out what is up. Maybe you're right and at a certain point they will can Byron if he doesn't start winning. I just want him gone for sure by the summer.

 

I think that's almost a foregone conclusion at this point. Most NBA people think Byron will never get another job after this as an NBA head coach so I think it's just a formality now and Byron is hitching his wagon to Kobe's departure.

My explanation by the way doesn't count out tanking. I think it's also clear the Lakers are now tanking because they have no choice. We're so ridiculously unlikely to make the playoffs right now, what's not to tank? Not that Mitch wants us to set records or anything, but losing isn't going to hurt his feelings either.

 

I remember when this was the daily thing to post back in 2004-05 and boy was it depressing. I hope we don't eventually get to this point like we are with Byron.

 

Absolutely. I don't want to be tanking at all. I know Mitch is now stuck having to look at the higher up prospects and whatnot, but to actually want to lose? I hate that concept.

We SHOULD be playing the young guys 30-35 minutes a night and letting them figure out how to win, but eh. Who needs them to develop when we've got Kobe's final season?

 

Losing is never okay. Accepting it creates a HORRIBLE atmosphere that many organizations never escape.

But the reality is, this team is tanking. The players might not be, but management and Scott are fully on-board with it. Getting a top 3 pick is nice, but no sure fire solution and it's a BIG risk IMO.

 

I absolutely agree with you Lakers2015. The problem is I just don't see how we are going to win games at all with this coach. We're headed for 15 wins and EVERY single thing Byron seems to do appears to be thwarting any chance to win. He's done so much damage whether sanctioned or not by the FO and I just don't see how the players can rise above what he's doing. He's benching two of our best right now and saying they will only get 20 minutes per game after they played well. The writing is on the wall for me. The tank is in full effect.

 

Once again, agreed. But how in the world is this team going to win 25 -30 games with Byron at the helm? It's not a question of tanking or not - we're already doing that. We're in the freaking gutter. How are they possibly going to overcome Byron when he won't play the youngsters and he insists on the worst possible lineups out there? We've got three wins - and that was the easy part of our schedule. Have you looked ahead? I don't see how we turn it around.

We're on course for 15 by the coach's design. It's either incompetence or deliberate tank or a combination of both. But for those saying don't tank and thinking we can possibly win 25-30 how do you propose that to happen with Byron coaching? I'm being real about this, not joking in any way. What gives you hope that he will turn it around? He is either incapable of or unwilling to win depending on whether you believe he's doing this on purpose or just sucks.

 

Yes I agree whole heartedly.

 

You don't take for top 3 when your chances of getting there are what they are.