Things are not going according to plan for the Los Angeles Lakers. They came into the 2021-22 NBA season as title contenders, but they barely look like a playoff team with how they have performed thus far.
As a result, there could be some major changes coming in the coming weeks. The team is exploring every avenue to try and make a trade to upgrade the roster, but that is easier said than done.
There are very few assets they have to cobble together a package with. Talen Horton-Tucker is who they are shopping and Kendrick Nunn’s contract could be included as well. But, unless they find a taker for Russell Westbrook, the roster likely isn’t going to change much.
While the roster may not change much, the team could make a change to the coaching staff. Recently, there have been rumors popping up that head coach Frank Vogel is on the hot seat. He is essentially coaching for his job every night, as he was nearly fired following a blowout loss to the Denver Nuggets.
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Knowing his job could very well be on the line isn’t something that Vogel is worrying about, however, He knows what he signed up for becoming the head coach of a storied franchise such as the Los Angeles Lakers.
“In this business and with this team, if you’re not winning at a super-high level, you’re going to get this type of noise,” Vogel said before the Lakers hosted the Indiana Pacers. “I’m good at blocking it out. I feel good about the job we’re doing, and obviously, we believe the results are going to come. But over the course of an 82-game season with a new group, you’re going to have some ugly nights.”
Coaching is hard enough, but when you are the head coach of a LeBron James-led team, there is even more pressure. It is a championship or bust for his teams and right now, the 2021-22 season looks like it will be a bust.
Making Frank Vogel a scapegoat, however, would be a short-sighted move. He cannot control the team’s injuries, as they have been playing without Anthony Davis for a few weeks. Vogel also wasn’t the person who traded for Russell Westbrook, depleting the team’s depth and assets.
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Frank Vogel acknowledged that people are expecting results from the team and they are holding themselves to the same standard. But, he doesn’t feel the pressure that people believe he is under.
“I don’t feel like I’m under siege,” Vogel said. “It’s not hard to do my job. I’m very focused on the task at hand. I’ve always been that way. It’s really not up to me whether it’s fair or not. It comes with the territory. It comes with being the Lakers’ coach. We have high expectations. This fan base really cares. It’s a big market. I wouldn’t want it any other way, to be honest with you. I want people to care. I want people to want the best, and to command excellence of our group. That’s what we command of ourselves.”
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Currently 22-23 on the season, Los Angeles has a lot of work to do if they want to make some noise in the postseason. However, as long as James is on the team and playing at the level that he is, they cannot be counted out.
