Mitch Kupchak Laughs Off Lakers Draft Pick Trade Rumors

Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak has had to deal with a number of crazy rumors over the years, and the past few weeks has been no different. When asked about the much-reported rumors that the Lakers planned to trade their top pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Kupchak laughed off the speculation.

Kupchak (on ESPN710) said he got “a chuckle” when he read rumors that Lakers plan to trade draft pick: "I have no idea where that came from"
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) May 6, 2016

This should make Lakers fans very happy because, as I’ve already explained, trading a top three pick for a veteran would be monumentally stupid. Of course, Kupchak chuckling at a rumor doesn’t mean he;s opposed to making a move, but it should be clear to him and the rest of the Lakers’ brass that they can’t take a quick shortcut on a full-scale rebuild.

The names tossed around that could come back in return for the Lakers’ pick have been underwhelming. Paul George, Jimmy Butler and DeMarcus Cousins are great players, but none of them is going to lead Los Angeles to a title any time soon. Continuing to build around the team’s young core by adding another talented rookie is the smartest move the franchise could make.

Hopefully Kupchak is aware of that too.