Yes or No? Will Mitch Kupchak ever sign an all star caliber free agent in his career?
Other than a trading Kobe, who's talent and name sells itself. Will Kupchak ever trade for or sign a free agent who is currently all-star caliber? Malone and Payton were both old when the Lakers picked them up, so they don't count. The last free agent who was currently all-star caliber was Glen Rice right? And that was the year before he took over. How bad of a GM do you have to be in order not to have picked up one all-star in your entire career(5 years?) and brought them over to one of the most desirable destinations for player in the league?
So yes or no? Will the Kupchak ever nab a good player in his career as the Laker's GM?
Re: Yes or No? Will Mitch Kupchak ever sign an all star caliber free agent in his car
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Originally Posted by kentatm
who has there been that the Lakers could have even afforded?
The bigger question is what all stars have been unrestricted free agents that haven't signed with their own teams in the last few years? I can't think of any off the top of my head. These days, free agency is more about signing mediocre players and potential and hoping them have all star seasons.
So will -anyone- sign an all star free agent? Not without a sign and trade, not with the way the league has been for the last few years.
Re: Yes or No? Will Mitch Kupchak ever sign an all star caliber free agent in his car
As far as signing free agents, probably not. These days teams like to sign thier superstars to contract extensions before they come up as restricted free agents, (Yao, Lebron, Wade, Carmelo, etc)
Re: Yes or No? Will Mitch Kupchak ever sign an all star caliber free agent in his car
your probably not aware that kobe makes 19 mil a year. and he has to have 10 other players for less than 27 mil Oden is what you get. you either trade him and get something else or keep him. Hes always injured so.
Re: Yes or No? Will Mitch Kupchak ever sign an all star caliber free agent in his car
Grant Hill is the last one I remember. Yeah, way back when. Before him: Shaq. I read on SI.com that Shaq is the only free agent signing to lead his new team to a championship. Sounds right. I could look it up and post the link but I'm sure you're all capable of operating your keyboards and mouses and Google toolbars and finding it if you don't believe me.
If you count guys who were signed before they were All-Stars but turned out to be All-Stars, there a couple that spring to mind. Arenas, for one. T-Mac is another. I'm sure there's more. But I'm not sure if that was the question.
Signing dudes isn't the answer. Mitch needs to concentrate on drafting and/or trading for talent, which has been the way teams have succeeded since they brought in the cap. So far, his best pick looks to be Bynum but he is a long way off All-Star form. Considering he got rid of Butler, who then became an All-Star elsewhere, he hasn't been much good at trading, either. (Mitch is ****.)
Re: Yes or No? Will Mitch Kupchak ever sign an all star caliber free agent in his car
Last time I checked Kobe was an all star free agent when he managed to sign him.
But it's just not that easy. I mean honestly, who was the last free agent that was all star calibre as a free agent? Arenas maybe? Because of the way it works now they just that aren't easy to get, for half his reign his cap space was negative with Shaq and Kobe for the rest it was all used up on Kobe, Lamar and scrubs. It's just not that easy.
Re: Yes or No? Will Mitch Kupchak ever sign an all star caliber free agent in his car
all stars tend to cost alot of money 15 to 20 million plus...not many teams have that kind of cap space... so that leaves sign and trades as one of the few avenues to getting a free agent which makes it even harder... even if mitch had wanted to sign an all star since he's been GM there has never been that kind of cap space... this year was one of the first ones where the team wasn't bouncing off the luxuary tax threshold since he became GM
Re: Yes or No? Will Mitch Kupchak ever sign an all star caliber free agent in his car
A few posters have nailed it.
Big-name free agents generally stay put unless someone's willing to pony up SERIOUS cash.
The best free agent acquisitions are usually the role players that are gotten at a good price so that retaining good drafted players doesn't break the bank.
Re: Yes or No? Will Mitch Kupchak ever sign an all star caliber free agent in his car
Quote:
Originally Posted by WoGiTaLiA1
Last time I checked Kobe was an all star free agent when he managed to sign him.
But it's just not that easy. I mean honestly, who was the last free agent that was all star calibre as a free agent? Arenas maybe? Because of the way it works now they just that aren't easy to get, for half his reign his cap space was negative with Shaq and Kobe for the rest it was all used up on Kobe, Lamar and scrubs. It's just not that easy.
His drafting is a far bigger problem anyway.
he has drafted better than 80 percent of his counterparts. farmar was a great pick. bynum, turiaf, walton, cook all good draft picks. crittenton could pan out too.
Re: Yes or No? Will Mitch Kupchak ever sign an all star caliber free agent in his car
Cook was good pick? How? What exactly has Farmar done so far? Vujacic was a first rounder, too (ugh.)
Turiaf was good value for where he was drafted, but he's no star. Ditto Walton. Bynum looks like he's on his way.
Crittenton isn't worth commenting on yet, but I don't know how you can say he's done better than 80% of his counterparts when he's come up with 1 consistent starter (Walton), two hit and miss guys rotation guys (Turiaf, Famar), two bums (Cook, Sasha) and one good prospect (Bynum.) Did I miss anyone?
Yes or No? Will Mitch Kupchak ever sign an all star caliber free agent in his career?
