Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak are dunzo in the Los Angeles Lakers front office, and apparently they knew it was coming for at least the last few days.
According to Sam Amick of USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday, the ousted EVP and GM pair attempted to trade for DeMarcus Cousins in a last-ditch effort to save their jobs. Cousins was ultimately dealt to the New Orleans Pelicans instead, and that appeared to be the last straw for Lakers president Jeanie Buss, who reportedly thought Cousins could mellow out in their ecosystem.
Going after DeMarcus Cousins was Jim & Mitch's last-ditch attempt to save their jobs, I'm told. Jim really wanted him, Mitch handled talks
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) February 21, 2017
Jeanie is done w/ Lakers' inability to get stars in Laker Land, & she had always seemed convinced Cousins could calm down in their setting.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) February 21, 2017
Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reported on Sunday that the Lakers had refused to include rookie forward Brandon Ingram in a package for Cousins.
Kings wanted Brandon Ingram in a trade package for Cousins, but Lakers refused to include him, league sources tell @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) February 20, 2017
While the decision to keep Ingram over dealing him for Cousins was quite defensible, it didn’t exist in a vacuum. Season after season, the Lakers have struck out with big name after big name, whether in free agency or on the trade market, sending the franchise into a four-year tailspin they still have yet to climb out of. A front office reshuffling was long overdue, and we’ll see if the Lakers’ new head honcho does better with acquiring marquee talent again.
