Ranking Mitch Kupchak’s Player Transactions As Lakers General Manager

Since taking over for Jerry West as the Lakers’ General Manager prior to the 2000-01 season, Mitch Kupchak has made some of the most memorable and successful transactions in team history. Kupchak first made his splash as the team’s G.M. by signing Karl Malone and Gary Payton in 2003, and he has recently formed a Big Four in Los Angeles, bringing Steve Nash and Dwight Howard to town to join forces with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol.

In the following pages, I have ranked all of the major player transactions Kupchak has made throughout his tenure as G.M. of the Lakers.

—- Get Ready for the Season With Lakers Nation Gear! —-

12. Almost Acquiring Chris Paul: December, 2011: Before we talk about all of the wonderful deals Mitch Kupchak has helped make happen that were actually approved, let’s recognize the one which was eventually vetoed by Commissioner David Stern. Despite the Chris Paul trade of December, 2011 being thwarted, we still have to give Kupchak his credit. The man worked his magic to bring arguably the best point in the game to the Lakers. It’s not his fault those “basketball reasons” intervened.

Now that the Lakers have Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, the vetoed CP3 trade seems like ages ago. I think the Lakers would rather have a nucleus of Kobe, Pau, Nash and Howard than Kobe, Paul and Bynum any day of the week.

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmoaDs9Q4N0

Next Page: Lakers re-sign backup big man

You May Also Like

Lakers Teammates Help Nick Young Prepare For Three-Point Contest

Ask, and you shall receive. Los Angeles Lakers fans have been clamoring for shooting guard Nick Young to be included in this year’s three-point shootout during All-Star weekend, and last week it was made official.

Lakers News: A’Ja Wilson Was Inspired By Kobe Bryant During USA Olympic Gold Medal Run

Perhaps no one has inspired more athletes in recent years than Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant…

NBA News: New-Look Lakers Don’t Scare Chauncey Billups

Once it became official that the Los Angeles Lakers had reloaded the…

Lakers Highlights: Anthony Davis Continues Dominant Run In Win Over Pistons

With the All-Star break approaching, the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis understood that they needed to go into the weekend…