The Los Angeles Lakers have had their share of ups and downs so far this season. A good start was quickly forgotten thanks to an awful month of December and now the team has been trying to recover ever since.
Despite the struggles, however, the future of the franchise looks better than it has in a very long time and that fact is not lost on General Manager Mitch Kupchak.
In an interview on ESPN LA Mornings with Jorge Sedano, Keyshawn Johnson, and LZ Granderson, Kupchak said that he is very excited about the future of the Lakers:
“When I look at the future of the group, I’m incredibly ecstatic. First of all Luke Walton has done a great job. I love the way he coaches, I love the way he plays, I love his energy, how he sees the game, and I love our core going forward.”
Kupchak would go on to praise the young core as well as the current veterans:
“We have six guys, 23 or 24 (years old) or younger and there’s nothing but a bright future for all of those players. And you know something, the veterans, as frustrating as maybe the last six or seven weeks have been, they’ve been great, they remain positive, and they keep our young guys right where they should be in terms of their attitude and educating them about the NBA.”
In D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, Larry Nance Jr., and Ivica Zubac the Lakers have a foundation that any team would love to have. And with Walton leading the way, they have a young coach who can grow along with them.
Kupchak understands the necessity of being patient with this group of players. Everyone would prefer the team to have more wins right now, but that doesn’t change the fact that the future of this group is outstanding.