The Los Angeles Lakers are arguably the NBA’s most storied franchise by virtue of their 17 world championships. They’ve been so successful over the decades that even when they haven’t won it all, they have had some impressive squads that were memorable, not to mention talented, star-studded and very competitive.
Heading into the 2007-08 season, the Lakers were stuck in mediocrity, and it looked like there was no way out for them. But general manager Mitch Kupchak waved his magic wand and made them into title contenders once again, and his moves were enough to get them back into the upper echelon of the NBA right away.