Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak has said that the team will not give up on this season.
The injury-hit side have a 14-22 record so far this season, leaving them well off the pace in the Pacific Division.
Kupchak told ESPN: "I know the coaches are never, ever going to give up, and no matter who is on the court, everybody has something invested in this team, the players and the staff.
"The players, this is their legacy. Some of them are going for contracts. Some of them are defined by win-loss records. And I would expect them to play hard, as hard as they can possibly play, no matter what our record is.
"I can't say that there's been a game that we gave up and didn't play hard. For obvious reasons, travel, etc, some days you have more energy than others, but our locker room is a good locker room and by and large, they're diving for loose balls and they're trying."
The Lakers face the Los Angeles Clippers in their next game tomorrow evening.
Sian Cowper
