Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak won't consult with Kobe Bryant in the offseason about whether to keep coach Mike D'Antoni. Kupchak said Bryant has "no choice" but to accept what the front office decides -- even if that means not being a championship contender next year.
The widespread thought, based on reports and Bryant's public lack of support for D'Antoni, is the perennial All-Star wants to play for another coach next season.
Whether Bryant wants D'Antoni back or not, according to Kupchak, is irrelevant.
"We won't consult with him," Kupchak told USA Today Sports when asked if Bryant would factor into keeping D'Antoni. "Our decisions going forward -- we're not going to do knee-jerk stuff. We'll let the season end, and take some time."
Kupchak also said that while he knows Bryant wants to compete for a title next season, the team may choose not to make a big splash in free agency this summer. Not going all-out in the offseason is likely to anger Bryant, but Kupchak made it clear he's willing to live with an angry superstar.
"He's got no choice. He'll be fine," Kupchak said. "When we lose, he'll rant and rave and be upset and be hot and won't talk to anybody, but that's the way it is. You've got to take the good with the bad."
D'Antoni's job will be one of the heavily debated topics heading into the offseason. Myriad injuries over his first two seasons in Los Angeles hindered any chance he had at turning the team into a playoff contender, and it's uncertain if he'll be brought back for the final year of his contract.
Although one report indicated the Lakers' front office is leaning toward keeping D'Antoni for another season, Kupchak said a decision won't be made until he and Jim Buss take time off and discuss it.
