State of the Lakers

It's been a while since I dropped a sports related blog.  I figured on the eve of the NBA draft, what better time than to grace all of you with my patented "expert opinion."  Let's get to it shall we?!

Mitch Kupchak is regarded by many as a top notch GM.  I'm not so convinced.  He took over for Jerry West (aka "the logo) for the 2000-2001 season.  The few Lakers first round picks from that season to today (7) are the following "marquee" names:
Mark Madsen, Chris Jefferies (traded), Brian Cook, Sash Vujacic, Andrew Bynum, Jordan Farmar, Javaris Crittenton, and Toney Douglas (traded). SIGH...
I'll give you Bynum even though he was the pick made after we traded Shaq and Bynum was a skinny high schooler who didn't contribute for a few years.  The rest... COME ON MAN!
7 first round picks in 12 years and this is the list?! Some of these guys have been traded more than a pack of cigarettes in an episode of Oz!  Ok, but a GM's mettle is tested by his evaluation of talent.  What about the 2nd round picks and the trades?
3/4 of the 2nd round picks I couldn't tweet because of character restrictions.  The best 2nd round pick to date was probably Luke "I have no back" Walton.  Jury is still out on the youngsters we got in the last two years (Ebanks, Caracter and Morris).  Trade wise, we traded Shaq for a 1st round pick (Jordan Farmar), Caron Butler, Odom, and Brian Grant. Caron is playing for the Clippers and got a ring last year with the Mavs, LO is in reality TV land traded him for a 1st round pick that we gave up for a fresh pack of Juicy Fruit and a avocado seed, Brian Grant retired 5 minutes after we traded for him.  Shaq? Oh, he wont another title with Miami the first year there. 
Ok, I'm getting to the "other" trade too. To be fair.  Mitch did trade Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie's contract (cause he sure didn't play) and Marc Gasol, 2 first round picks to his daddy, I mean Jerry West for Pau and 2nd round pick (Ebanks).  Pau helped get us to 3 championships (winning 2), but lately has played soft as butter in the playoffs.  So those who say the Lakers fleeced the Griz consider we gave up a marquee piece in Marc Gasol plus 2 first round picks--not bad.  I still think Jerry was bailing out his protege with the deal.
Here we are on the door step of the NBA draft.  Lakers are in pursuit of a trade for Gasol.  Rumor is they want a top 10 pick and a player.  Not likely to happen so they may get Josh Smith and the 23rd pick.  Not the value I'd like, but at this point, let's just get something done!  It may be time for Mitch to seek greener pastures.  I know, I know 'the Lakers could do much worse than Mitch Kupchak for a GM.'  Yea, we could get Michael Jordan running the franchise in the ground...