The Los Angeles Lakers have largely underwhelmed through the first part of the 2021-22 season, and while injuries have played a part in their struggles, some of the blame has to be directed toward head coach Frank Vogel.
Vogel’s first year with the Lakers went as well as one could imagine as it ended with the franchise taking home its 17th Larry O’Brien trophy, but since then, things have only gradually declined. After a disappointing finish to the 2020-21 season, the front office reloaded the roster with another superstar in Russell Westbrook and more shooting but Vogel has yet to find lineup combinations that can consistently produce on both ends of the floor.
As is the case every year, there is a lot of pressure on Los Angeles to win now and in the process, Vogel’s become a popular choice to be the next head coach to be fired. However, Vogel seemed adamant he is not concerned about his job status.
“No, I’m not,” Vogel said when asked about it before Tuesday’s game against the Boston Celtics.
Regarding his future with the franchise, Vogel revealed he and management have yet to talk about it and are instead focused on turning things around.
“No, we haven’t discussed it. We’re focused on the job. We stay in the moment and focus on the task at hand, trying to win the next game, trying to get some momentum around our season.”
While everyone in the organization has some responsibility to own for the Lakers’ rough start, Vogel believes he can not assess how much blame he should shoulder. “That’s not up to me, so I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about it. Really just focused on the job.”
Every time a contender fails to meet expectations, the first person to go is the head coach and unfortunately, it seems like Vogel may not last until the end of the season if things continue to go on.
The roster has enough collective experience and talent to work, but the on-court product has yet to live up to its potential. Maybe a win over the Celtics will help turn things in the right direction.
Frank Vogel, LeBron James understand pressures of being a Laker
The Lakers are the NBA’s glamor franchise but they also have a long history of winning which makes every season a high-pressure situation. While being in Los Angeles is not for everyone, LeBron James and Vogel understand that the criticism and pressure hurled at the team every year is just a part of the job.
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