Mitch Kupchak: Los Angeles Lakers will go ‘all out’ in free agency
By Sam Richmond
The Los Angeles Lakers currently have nearly $30 million in cap space, and they hope to use it on a couple of big-name free agents, perhaps LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, this summer.
Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that the team plans to be aggressive this offseason.
"“We’re prepared,” Kupchak said late Thursday night after the Lakers hosted an NBA draft event at their practice facility. “If any of those players do want to make a move, we’re prepared. And if we get word, when we’re allowed to get word, we will go all out.”"
Although no one could fault the Lakers for trying to pursue what ESPN’s Chris Broussard calls the team’s “dream,” don’t expect it to come to fruition.
Lakers' dream is to add LeBron & Melo this summer. If that fails would go for CBosh & Melo, sources say. That's assuming Bosh opts out
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) June 27, 2014
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Not only is Miami the heavy favorite to retain LeBron’s service, it remains to be seen whether King James would have any interest in playing with an aging Kobe Bryant. LeBron has clearly surpassed Bryant in ability at this point of his career, but Kobe is not the type of player that would relinquish the power of it being “his team.”
Also, it’s worth noting that Carmelo has three visits scheduled for July 1, the first day of free agency. Not one of them is with Los Angeles, which would seem to imply he doesn’t hold a strong interest in teaming up with Bryant either.
Still, Kupchak is hoping to overcome all odds and convince these superstars that immediately competing for a championship is possible with Bryant as a Laker
“We’re still going to pitch that this is a championship franchise and that’s going to be our goal,” Kupchak said. “As long as Kobe is on this team, we have to believe that we can contend for a championship.”