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Kupchak: Lakers are a much better free-agent destination this summer

Harry How / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Mitch Kupchak believes the Los Angeles Lakers look much more appealing to prospective targets this summer than they did a year ago.

"We do have more to sell," the Lakers general manager told Mark Medina of the LA Daily News. "The franchise and the city have always sold themselves.

"(Last summer) we just didn't have that much to sell, 'I'm going to come to Los Angeles, but who am I going to play with?' Last summer, you get to play with Kobe (Bryant). But Kobe's been injured. 'Is Kobe going to be healthy, Mitch?' I don't know that.

"'Who else am I going to play with?' You're going to love playing with Julius Randle. But he only played one game. You're going to love playing with the No. 2 pick, but he hasn't played at all. We didn't have as much to sell last year and the year before."

The Lakers reaped the rewards of a franchise record 65-loss season earlier this week when they selected Brandon Ingram with the No.2 pick in the draft. The 18-year-old will be surrounded by a young and promising core that includes D'Angelo Russell, Randle, Larry Nance Jr., and recently hired head coach Luke Walton.

Kupchak also has an enormous amount of cap space at his disposal following Bryant's retirement.

While the Lakers aren't expected to be one of the suitors for Kevin Durant, names such as Al Horford, DeMar DeRozan, Nicolas Batum, and Hassan Whiteside have all been linked to the team. Kupchak wouldn't tip his hand on his plans, though.

"There may be meetings; there may not be meetings," the GM said. "Things could be done quickly. It could take a week or two. There may not be face-to-face meetings; maybe a couple. It depends on how quickly things move."

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