My realist (sic) memory of Mitch was when OKC eliminated us in 5 games in the 2011-2012 playoffs. The elimination game was in OKC. i remember Mitch sitting among OKC's wildly celebrating fans, motionless, like a "cigar store Indian," face carved in stone. I felt like he was taking in this humiliation on behalf of all Lakers fans, everywhere.
Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Posts: 3970 Location: Garden Grove
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2017 5:05 pm Post subject:
Mitch is all class. I was very sad to see his tenure end in this manner, however I agree with the move 100%. IMO Mitch did not have a connection to today's player. He was old school and I just don't think he had the demeanor to connect with Todays player. That was clear in botched FA pitches over the last few years. Does magic scare me? Him alone scares the Bejesus out of me... However the addition of Pelinka, and keeping Ryan West, Jesse and joey buss in house, makes for a pretty knowledgeable, charismatic staff, that should have no problem pitching FA's and making good decisions to get us back to what we all want.. I can say with 100% confidence that I have more faith in the New FO than I did in the one we just replaced. We as laker fans need to bind together and show some faith. For the first time in a LONG time it appears the entire franchise is on the same page which in itself is a huge turn of events. = _________________ “What is 17,505”
“Rest at the end not at the middle”
Mitch was and is a class act! Thank you for all the good memories since I Slowly become in love with the Lakers at the beginning of the 90'.
Since 2000 when you was in charge until now I think Lakers was the most accomplished franchise. More than the Spurs. And your contribution was huge.
In 2004-2005 after Shaq drama and the first year without playoff since I was a Laker, i was wondering how could you turn us to be the best again. Against still excellent Spurs, new sensation Suns and Miami. But in 2008 we were back again at full strenghts.
With Phil again, Pau, Odom, Ariza, Bynum and of course Kobe we were again the standard of excellence. And your part on this accomplishment was huge.
Than again. CP3 deal was so good that the league stepped up and Sabotage that. All knew that after CP3 the next in line would be Bynum for Howard.
A probably new Laker dinasty with Kobe, CP3 and Dwight on full strenghts scared them and blocked it. Was a miserable move who turned us years away, but was you about to do was pure masterclass.
Thank you again MITCH! CHAPEAU!
In retrospect I still agree and appreciate Nash and Howard deal. Was the last chance to "make Lakers great again" as someone would say! The last chance to give Kobe and the Lakers to be competitive again. It doesn't work out but in live not everything works.
But I believe in the last 3-4 years you lost your "Magic". The rebuilding was or is still not good. And I don't look at the results but the perspective. Mozgov/Deng contracts, the pitch for high FA when was clear we are not ready to offer them a machinery to competent for the gold.
It's a long discussion but I believe your best days are behind you. And we need to look forward. But I don't like how it ends. Could have been made with more dignity.
But the trophies speak for themselves and also about you.
Thank you Mitch!
Joined: 19 Jul 2002 Posts: 15403 Location: Oak Park
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2017 8:41 pm Post subject:
MIMLaker wrote:
Mitch Kupchak gave everything he had to this franchise.
Came as a free agent from Washington to be Kareem's backup.
Fought through a ton of knee injuries.
Literally fought with Akeem Olajuwon in the desperation Game 5 of the 1986 WCF and got both of them thrown out of the game... a pawn-for-queen gambit which is legendary in NBA lore.
Earned his MBA while on the injured list and later as a scout for West.
Became a valued assistant GM to West.
Took the reins from West after he retired in 2000.
Figured out how to find bargain basement players to fill out the roster in the face of Dr. Buss' very difficult cost-conscious directives in the Shaq-Kobe era.
Did the hard task of a reasonable rebuild in the mid-2000s just as more and more corporate conglomerates were taking over team ownership throughout the league.
Traded for hidden gems in Shannon Brown and Trevor Ariza.
Traded Kwame Brown and change for Pau Gasol.
Turned difficult negotiations for Trevor Ariza into FA signing of Ron Artest.
Retained services of Lamar Odom at reduced price.
Negotiated Chris Paul trade with Pau Gasol at near peak value and for savings of $20 million on salary cap over time, only to have deal rejected by other owners in controversial move.
Recovered to negotiate trade for Dwight Howard dealing only Andrew Bynum and minor assets.
Negotiated trade for Steve Nash to team with Howard (albeit for loss of multiple draft picks).
Drafted above value with picks for Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance, Jr., and Ivica Zubac.
Drafted D'Angelo Russell over Jahlil Okafor (though missed Porzingis).
Was Mitch a perfect GM? Of course not - there is no such thing. Even the great Jerry West missed some hidden gems in the draft.
But FAR more often than not, Mitch made the best possible deals for this franchise and helped maintain its growth and success in changing times. Mitch was a loyal member of the team, both on and off the court. The last few years will and should be viewed in the context of devoted and exemplary service over the course of FOUR DECADES.
There was a saying around here for years: "Do it, Mitch!"
Do we really know if Mitch was summarily handed his walking papers or did he choose to leave on his own accord, perhaps refusing a position of lesser importance?
Case in point: Ned Colletti was given the opportunity to remain with the Dodgers as an advisor to Stan Kasten when he was replaced by Andrew Friedman. Magic had a seat at the table when the Dodgers make organizational decision by virtue of his $50 million ownership stake. The pros and cons of Kasten's decision to retain Colletti's connection to the team was certainly not lost on Magic.
Fast forward to now. No one can deny Mitch's consummate professionalism. He's had plenty of opportunity to justifiably throw some people under the bus (see David Stern), but he has always taken the high road, leaving the spewage to take place in the media, instead electing to turn the page and move on to the next. His ability to select talent has been proven; making the pieces fit well has not been his strong suit as of late. But as a guy who can offer a sage piece of advice or be a sounding board, there most certainly could have been a spot for him.
But perhaps it was his decision to walk. Mitch and his wife suffered the the tragic loss of their daughter 2 years ago. His son is a 2nd year player on the UCSB Gauchos, certainly with aspirations to be as good as his dad on the hardwood, but struggling to make an impact.
After 36 years as a Laker, maybe it was time for Mitch to hit the reset button, a decision that might have been his more so than incoming management.
We'll probably never know. But what we do know is that Mitch is a good man, an honorable man, who I believe gave everything he had to the Lakers as both a player and GM. Jerry West set the bar very high for Mitch; I truly believe Mitch did everything he could to meet that standard.
If you have time, listen to Mitch's commencement speech to the 2016 graduating class of the UCLA Anderson School of Business. He speaks of his family, his years as a Laker, Dean Smith, and finally, Jerry West. In his speech, he quotes Yogi Berra's famous line: "When you come to the fork in the troad, take it."
IMO, if he had a choice in staying or going, Mitch took the fork in the road.
There's no doubt in my mind that Mitch, after a long and well deserved vacation, will end up somewhere in another position of great authority and no longer handcuffed to the village idiot. I'm hoping that his name emerges as a candidate when Dan Guerrero finally gets bounced.
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