Kupchak Remains Top Nugget Choice

Bringing a rare sense of long-term uncertainty to the Laker front office, General Manager Mitch Kupchak remains the top choice of the Nuggets to take over as head of basketball operations, a spot Denver ownership hopes to fill by early next week.

Kupchak has refused public comment on the matter, but it is believed he has yet to decline the overtures, whether they have come in the form of conversation or an actual contract. The Nuggets have made him the leading candidate to replace Allan Bristow, who reportedly will be fired as vice president of basketball operations today, and want the replacement on the job as soon as possible so he would be well-versed on the team heading toward the Feb. 19 trade deadline.

In his 12th season with Laker management, after a 10-year playing career that also included a stint with the organization, Kupchak has for years been one of the most sought-after executives in the league. He has typically always been willing to talk to teams about openings, but has also made it clear it would take a lucrative deal and the right situation to lure him away from the Lakers.

The interest from the Nuggets, apparently being returned to some degree, takes on a new twist because Jerry West, the Lakers’ executive vice president, has said he doesn’t plan to be in his current position after his contract expires at the end of next season. Kupchak is in line to succeed West, so losing both in a relatively short time could put owner Jerry Buss in a bind.