The job situation of Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel is the latest bit of news in an up-and-down season.
With a recent report from The Athletic indicating Vogel’s job is in serious jeopardy, including him now getting evaluated on a game-by-game basis, a new report from Dan Woike and Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times said L.A. doesn’t have any plans to replace the head coach:
Now, though, people with knowledge of the situation insist “there are no current plans” to replace Vogel — a sign that the coach has navigated through the latest drama surrounding his position.
The important word from the report is “current.” Things move quickly in the NBA, and what’s current presently can suddenly become the past. If the Lakers decide Vogel shouldn’t remain as head coach, the franchise must identify his replacement.
Assistant coach David Fizdale could get the bump since he took over when Vogel entered health and safety protocol. There haven’t been any reports of who Vogel’s successor could be, but moving on from a championship-proven coach isn’t always an easy thing to do.
But if a move does happen, the Lakers have 38 games in the regular season. Will dumping Vogel be the change needed to spark a title run? Only time has the answer to that.