Lakers hire Frank Vogel

https://theathletic.com/3076449/202...els-job-in-serious-jeopardy-despite-jazz-win/

LeBron James made good on his promise that the Lakers would be better. Magic Johnson got his wish that his old team would play harder. And with a 101-95 win over the Utah Jazz, the Lakers answered the social media challenges levied by two franchise icons as they scramble to salvage their championship hopes and get their season back on course.

While what was seen as a back-and-forth between James and Johnson played out publicly for all to see, sources say that behind-the-scenes it was Lakers coach Frank Vogel who was under fire more than ever before.

By the time the Lakers and Jazz tipped off on Monday night, sources said, Vogel was coaching for his job after he narrowly avoided being fired in the wake of the 37-point loss in Denver 48 hours earlier. Had a scene like that repeated itself against the Jazz, many believed it would have been Vogel’s last game.

Vogel, who coached the Lakers to a championship in 2020 and whose contract runs through the 2022-23 campaign, is being evaluated on a game-to-game basis and remains at risk of being fired soon if the progress doesn’t continue, sources said. It’s unclear how much Monday’s win relieved the pressure that surrounds him.

With the Lakers (22-22) now seventh in the West and the midway point of the season behind them, sources say the organization’s decision-makers are closely monitoring the key question of whether Vogel still has command of the locker room.

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Whether Vogel is the root cause of the Lakers’ struggles is certainly debatable.

The Lakers have endured the turbulence of injuries to both James and Davis, who has missed 14 straight games with a strained MCL, as well as the same COVID setbacks that have become an unwelcome part of nearly every team’s experience this season. However, after the loss in Denver, Westbrook questioned the Lakers’ effort, while Dwight Howard questioned their commitment to defense.

Throughout the organization, from owner Jeanie Buss to general manager Rob Pelinka and James on down, the message being sent is the same: Even with all the setbacks, this isn’t good enough. Not even close.

[…]

Any notion of Vogel being completely safe this season vanished in early August, when — as The Athletic reported in late September — he was given an extension that only included one additional season. It was an uncomfortable compromise of sorts, a way to reward him for the massive part he played in the title run in the Orlando bubble while also leaving the door wide open for his potential dismissal if this superstar experiment didn’t work.

The integration of Westbrook to the existing duo of James and Davis has been clunky, as many expected when Pelinka traded what remained of the Lakers championship depth for the former MVP.

The Lakers’ defense, a hallmark of Vogel’s first two seasons, has suffered a precipitous decline, ranking 18th in defensive efficiency after beating Utah. The offense is just 24th, while the Lakers’ net rating is 23rd. Prior to Monday, the Lakers had struggled mightily to beat the better teams in the league.

The win over the Jazz was just their third this season against a top-five team in the West and just their sixth over a team that currently sports a winning record.

The coaching staff has been well aware that it faced significant pressure for months. Sources say that was made clear to the staff early on this season by Kurt Rambis, the former Laker and current director of basketball affairs who has become one of the most influential members of the organization since returning to the franchise in 2017.

Yet not long after Rambis relayed the word that they were all at risk of being replaced if things did not improve, COVID complications made it nearly impossible for the Lakers to continue evaluating Vogel because, among other reasons, he wasn’t there. He entered the league’s health and safety protocols on Dec. 19 and didn’t return until Dec. 31.

David Fizdale filled the role in his absence, and the Lakers went just 1-5. When Vogel returned, they won four in a row. But then came the three-game losing streak that nearly cost Vogel his job: a 127-119 home loss to Memphis on Jan. 9, a 125-116 loss at Sacramento and the 133-96 drubbing at Denver in which the Lakers trailed by as many as 42 points.

Asked if the Denver loss sat differently from others the Lakers have endured, Vogel initially said it did before changing his mind.

“I don’t know if it’s that much different from other losses,” he said. “You lose to Memphis, you’re disappointed. You lose to Sacramento, you’re very disappointed. You’re giving up 125, 130 points. (When) you’re a defensive, prideful coach, that’s tough. So, none of these losses have been easy, but we’re keeping our group staying together, believing in one another and continuing to honor the work.”

The sting of the Nuggets loss was compounded by a late-night tweet from Magic Johnson, who said Lakers fans deserve better, as does Buss.

“We understand and we respect all the Lakers legends not being happy with how we’re playing,” Vogel said, “but nobody is more unhappy than we are, and we’re going to work very hard to correct it.

While James did not speak to reporters that night — just the second time this year he’s left without speaking — he tweeted an apology on Sunday evening.

“#LakerNation I apologize and promise we’ll be better,” he said to his 50.6 million followers.

Asked pregame about James’ tweet, Vogel called it a “sign of great leadership and understanding that nobody is happy with how we’ve played, especially in that Denver game. And we’re committed to being better.”

James did not say whether his apology was a direct response to Johnson’s broadside, but that it was him “taking the onus and letting Laker Nation know … It was about our fans and the people that ride and die with us every single day. Let them know that I got this and it wouldn’t happen again.”

Before the Lakers took the court against the Jazz, Vogel acknowledged the toll of his team’s struggles.

“Not seeing the results wears on you, I will say that strongly,” he said. “It is very difficult to put in as (many) hours as we put in to get our group playing at a super high level and to fall short.”

Even as the walls seem to be closing in on him, Vogel remained focused on the big picture, referencing a “marathon approach.”

“Our process is really good, you know what I mean?” Vogel said. “We prepare our guys as well as anybody and teach and coach hard all the habits that we’re talking about. So you believe in what we do. And if you trust that process, the improvement will come.”

It came swiftly on Monday, as the Lakers took a step in the direction they are trying to go.

For the time being, Vogel is moving with them.