Kupchak On D’Antoni, Kobe, Nash, Lakers’ Future

2013/08/kupchak-on-dantoni-kobe-nash-lakers-future.html

Obviously, we created an environment with our team where were looking to have financial flexibility a year from now, so that plays into it." On the possibility of Pau Gasol remaining a Laker beyond this season:  "We're in a cycle...We're hopeful that within a year from now, we'll have enough flexibility. … We're hopeful that Pau and Kobe can continue to play and we'll have options to rebuild the team." Thoughts on the idea of tanking for a lottery pick in 2014:  "The ping-pong lottery thing, even if you have the very worst team in the NBA, you're not guaranteed to get the first pick...I'm not sure getting into the lottery and ending up with 10, 11, 12, 13 or 14 is going to give us a top one or two pick in the draft...We still may end up drafting 12, 13 or 14, which is not a great place to draft if you just look back on drafts in this league."  More comments about the 2014 offseason: "We'll have a lot of financial resources a year from now...I don't know if we'll get a star player to leave his home team to come here like (Dwight Howard) did to go to Houston.