Official 2016 Free Agency Thread

I just realized I should have initially put that video in the free agency thread as it isn't Luke related. So I'll respond to your question here. The full question and answer pretty much word for word:

Brian Kamenetzky: "Would you generally favor talent, go get the better..more talented players and figure out the rest later?"

Mitch Kupchak: "Well in the perfect world you'd like to get talent that fits what you're trying to do as a team. But you're not going to win without talent, period. And it's difficult to make trades if you don't have assets, so we're gonna try to get players that have talent that fit our needs. You know, would we get to the point where we maybe compromise..um, something that may not fit perfectly, I don't know right now. In this business, it's not a perfect world business, you're always compromising something, no matter what it is. But to try to predict what that is, you know, it's impossible right now".

And for anyone who didn't see it or doesn't want to discuss it in the Luke thread



Basically they always look for players that fit, but we need talent right now, period. Talent is an asset. I took what he was saying in part to mean you can make trades with talent once you have it, if it maybe doesn't fit long term. Could be interpreting that wrong, but that's partly what it sounded like to me. Talent got us the trade for Kobe, for Glen Rice, for some others during the title years.

 

I mean, we could do worse.

 

you guys can watch the entire Mitch Press Conference at:

http://www.twcsportsnet.com/lakers/videos/20160506/mitch-kupchak-press-conference-on-luke-walton

 

Both DeRozan and Horford fit the "not thriving" in the playoffs and I'm cool with both of them. Heck, Durant is scoring alright but I wouldn't say he's thriving either. I'm not saying he's going to be a Laker, but I wouldn't be surprised at this point if he leaves. That team is clearly not built to succeed.

The rumors of the Spurs and Warriors chasing him are still pretty persistent. I wouldn't be surprised if they do everything they can to get to him.

 

I think Horford would fit the system pretty damn well. His ability to hit a jumper and space the floor could be a perfect fit with our young guys.

I hope it's the Warriors that run at Durant because it'd definitely free up Barnes and if not Barnes, we'd be able to scoop up some of the players they'd have to dump like Bogut and Iguodala.

 

Well, if we get the pick and can flip it for Butler, then we can make a serious run at Horford/Durant together. But you're right, I know Westbrook and Durant are buddies and they are both top 5-7 players in the league, but their games just don't match and they got NO ONE outside the two of them. Durant with Butler and Horford and a rising Randle and Russel...that team might already be better than the current OKC team and it can actually improve because of the kids. I don't think he goes to GS or SA though. He's just not wired like that and I'd lose a lot of respect for him if he just went and gravy trained off those two clubs...and I'm sure having Savory Griddles respect weighs heavy on Durant's decision making.

 

Kobe is running Kobe, Inc. now. No way he takes a coaching type role. He'll always be available to mentor our guys and occasionally work out with them in the off-season but this idea of him being a player development coach/role isn't going to happen.