The Los Angeles Lakers won 27, 21 and 17 games in the past three seasons but have started strong this season under Luke Walton.

“The mood the last couple years, with Kobe coming to the end of his career, basically 20 years ago … it didn’t go smoothly,” Mitch Kupchak said.

“One hundred percent,” Walton said of restoring the franchise’s reputation being a factor in him taking the job. “I take pride in being a former Laker, and being a guy that was on a team that won championships and went through tough times and all of that.

“This was an opportunity I couldn’t say no to.”