Lakers’ general manager, Mitch Kupchak, joined Colin Cowherd on The Herd on Thursday to discuss numerous topics, including the hiring of Mike D’Antoni and not Phil Jackson.
Since the hiring of Mike D’Antoni, many within the organization have spoken about the hiring process. When Colin Cowherd described the situation as “clumsy,” Mitch Kupchak admitted the Lakers should have gone about the process differently since Phil Jackson is well-respected within the organization:
“I would say ‘clumsy’ is not a bad characterization.”
After firing Mike Brown, the Lakers gave Jackson time over the weekend to make his decision. Phil Jackson has said numerous times that he was prepared to call the organization on Monday to make his return as the head coach. Unfortunately, Jackson received a late night phone call from Mitch Kupchak on Sunday informing him that the Lakers decided to hire Mike D’Antoni instead.
For all that Phil Jackson has done for this organization, Kupchak thought it was best to contact Jackson immediately instead of the 11-time champion finding out through other sources. It was an extremely difficult situation considering the relationship both of them have formed and continue to have throughout the years.
—————————————————————————————————————–
Lakers Nation interviews Nick Young at the Call of Duty: Ghosts reveal at L.A. Live. Be sure to subscribe to our Lakers Nation YouTube channel by clicking here!
