“Come back to the Lakers”: NBA fans erupt in excitement as Mitch Kupchak steps down from front office role

Mitch Kupchak stepped down as the general manager of the Charlotte Hornets on Monday. The 69-year-old is reportedly taking a smaller advisory role with the team once his replacement is hired. However, the news sparked quite the reaction with Lakers fans. Some of the LA faithful want Kupchak back in Tinsel Town.

Kupchak was once a player for the LA Lakers. He was also the lead executive of the Lakers front office. Now Lakers fans want him back. They may be disappointed that the current Lakers front office made no moves at the recent trade deadline.

One fan wrote on X:

"Come back to the Lakers."

This fan was not alone in asking for Kupchak’s return, while a few other Lakers fans wanted no part in his potential return. The Hornets and other NBA fans also chimed in on the news. Check out other social media reactions below:

How many championships did Mitch Kupchak win with the LA Lakers?

Mitch Kupchak had quite the legendary NBA career. He was both a player and top executive for the LA Lakers. He won 10 championships between his playing and managing career. Much of that success came with the Lakers.

He worked in the Lakers front office from 1986 until 2017. The Lakers won seven NBA titles during that span. They won five while Kupchak was the leading voice of the front office as general manager, including the famous three-peat from 2000-02. He was also the GM when Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to two more titles in 2009-10.

Kupchak also won three titles as a player. He was drafted 13th overall in the 1976 NBA Draft out of North Carolina. He played 10 seasons with the Lakers and Washington Bullets.

He won one title with the Washington Bullets in 1978 before grabbing two more with the early Showtime Lakers in 1982 and 1985.

Despite his ties to North Carolina and time as Charlotte Hornets GM since 2018, Kupchak is often connected with the Lakers. He is a fan favorite and admired fondly for his time in building five championship teams.

The Lakers have won one title since Mitch Kupchak’s departure. They took the crown in the 2020 NBA bubble. They also won the inaugural In-Season Tournament with their current front office management.

The Lakers have missed the playoffs in three of six seasons since firing Mitch Kupchak. Current GM Rob Pelinka has been the lead front office exec during that span. The Lakers have made the conference finals twice since hiring Pelinka. They also made the blockbuster signing of LeBron James in 2018.