The Los Angeles Lakers have fallen into a big hole this season as the team sits 14-22 on the season. They have lost eight of their last 10 games this season following a 110-97 fall to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. Injuries have certainly not worked in the team's favor leading many to believe moves will be made. However, general manager Mitch Kupchak is not too keen on jumping to any conclusions.
With Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant on the bench, the best players for the Lakers right now are Nick Young and Pau Gasol. The Lakers have just two guaranteed contracts next season on the books and tanking the season would certainly help them build some youth into the lineup considering this season is continuing its downward trend. Kupchak denies any notion the Lakers plan on not competing this season.
"That's the worst thing an owner, general manager, coach or player can even consider. I can't imagine going into a locker room or having a closed door meeting with a coach to say I want you to lose," Kupchak said, via LA Daily News. "I can't imagine doing that. It's almost un American."
Could moves be made before the trade deadline? Is Mike D'Antoni the right man for the job? The first thing Kupchak intends to do is publically support D'Antoni. He is confident the head coach is the right guy to bring wins to the Lakers and even went as far as to call him a potential Coach of the Year candidate despite the 22 losses so far.
"Six weeks ago, I thought he would've been candidate for coach of the year," Kupchak said. "A month and a half later, our record is what it is. I know I'll get criticized and he'll get criticized. But the coaches in this league can't win without players. That's my job. I thought we were deep enough in the backcourt. Maybe we weren't. But you can't win in this league without players."
Kupchak does admit that the team is still exploring a Pau Gasol trade if the right package presents itself. The Lakers turned down a trade for Andrew Bynum that would have saved them money and earned them draft picks. Kupchak is still listening to offers even though Gasol is the best option on the court for the team.
"I'm always looking for ways up until the trade deadline to do what's best for the team for that year or what's best for the team going forward," Kupchak said. "That obviously depends on the team you have and what the record is."
Things are grim right now for the Lakers. Young went as far as referring to the locker room as a funeral. "It's sad. It's like somebody died, ain't you all seen? It's a funeral in here," Young said after the loss to the Mavericks. Can the Lakers turn things around? They face the Rockets Thursday night to attempt some change.
