Los Angeles Lakers issue denial as trade rumours gather pace – NBA Update
The Los Angeles Lakers are putting up a straight face in light of ever increasing rumours that they are about to go on a big shopping spree.
The Lakers have been strongly linked with a host of NBA stars, including Orlando Magic centre Dwight Howard and New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul. Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak though, says they are not even on
the market.
"This time of year, there are a lot of rumours going around," Mitch Kupchak said in a telephone conversation, as reported by ESPN. "I'm aware of them and I'm not going to comment. Our comments have been pretty consistent -- this
group can contend, so we'll just play it out. Nothing is about to happen. It's much too early in the season.”
The Lakers bundled out of the NBA playoffs last season in the second round after winning the Championship the two previous times, and going into the NBA Finals before that. The team’s dismal showing against the Dallas Mavericks
ended legendary coach Phil Jackson’s career on a disappointing note and rumours began immediately about a possible overhaul of the roster.
The Lakers management chose not to promote from within and replaced Jackson with former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown. His arrival was viewed by some as the start of bigger change at the franchise, but although the
Lakers have said the team will move in a new direction, they have so far ruled out changes in the roster.
Kupchak said the players they had were up to the job at hand. In any case, the Collective Bargaining Agreement isn’t in place yet and until it is there isn’t any point in speculating.
"We don't even have a collective bargaining agreement to refer to."
His comments though have not done much to lower the noises that are adamant Lakers are about to move in a big way. In fact, one source revealed that Los Angeles are actually considering a swoop for both their targets, Chris Paul
and Dwight Howard.
"The Lakers are interested in trying to do something for both (Paul and Howard)," a Western Conference executive said. "I would hate to see it happen. I want Howard to stay in the East and Paul to go to the East.”
Such a move will drastically change the landscape in the NBA, and especially put the rest of the Western Conference at a distinct disadvantage.
"If it does happen, it'll make things much harder for us." The source said.
If Los Angeles are to pull off the move though, they would have to trade pretty much everyone on their roster apart from Kobe Bryant, who remains untouchable.
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