After 17 years as the primary front office decisionmaker for the Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak’s tenure ended with his abrupt firing on Tuesday. Wednesday, he released a classy statement thanking the organization – and adding just a little bit of shade.
Kupchak thanked the Buss family and wished the organization luck going forward, while reminding everyone that, in his mind, his tenure saw “very few not so good times” in Los Angeles.
Mitch Kupchak still believes in the Lakers. His statement to the @latimes. Thanks the Buss family, wishes Magic luck. pic.twitter.com/eLm3KKovE0
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) February 22, 2017
To be clear, Kupchak did have a lot of success, and he rebuilt a championship team around Kobe Bryant after trading Shaquille O’Neal. However, the franchise had won just 84 games since the start of the 2013-14 season. There were quite a few not so good times, particularly in recent seasons. Was it all his fault? Maybe not – Jim Buss has been a pretty convenient scapegoat. Overall, Kupchak is handling his departure with class, with just a tiny reminder that he managed to bring a couple of championships home, too.
