Lakers News: Mitch Kupchak Comments on Free Agency, Brandon Ingram Talks Draft

So much for the harmonious state of the Los Angeles Lakers franchise.

After ridding themselves of the burdensome final year of Kobe Bryant's deal, keeping their pick and selecting Brandon Ingram second in June, things appeared to be looking up. The Lakers have kept themselves largely devoid of terrible contracts, and even their less-than-great ones (Nick Young's) are probably movable in the current cap environment.

Unfortunately, a report by B/R's Kevin Ding shined a light on the franchise's internal discord. The worst three-year stretch in franchise history has everyone unhappy and antsy—particularly within the Buss family—despite how things look better from the outside.

Ingram joins D'Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Larry Nance Jr. and (likely) Jordan Clarkson in a promising young core. The Lakers are one or two youngish veteran free agents and some internal development away from being a 35-win team next year. They're on the right path to rebuilding, but Ding's report seems to highlight an organization ready to expedite the process for no apparent reason.

Instead of focusing on the rumors, let's check in on what the likes of general manager Mitch Kupchak and Ingram have been saying publicly over the last week.

 

Kupchak Open to Adding Everywhere

Depending on how you look at it, there's either a bright side or a downside to all this potential Lakers drama.

They have the most cap space of any team by a pretty significant margin. They will have more than $60 million to spend on potential free agents after renouncing the rights to Roy Hibbert and Kobe Bryant. The Lakers could easily fit two max players under their cap.

Their biggest need is in the frontcourt, given the presence of Clarkson, Russell and Ingram at 1-3. Randle averaged a double-double in what was essentially his rookie season, but he's not irreplaceable at this point; the cup...

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