Amidst the unmitigated disaster that has been the 2021-22 season for the Los Angeles Lakers, it has seemed for a while that head coach Frank Vogel would be one of the first casualties.
It has been rumored for a while that he has been on the hot seat and that he would be fired.
Well now, one NBA insider has seemed to confirm what has seemed to be inevitable at some point.
In fact, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, L.A. is already looking at potential replacements.
Via Bleacher Report:
“Now, as the finish line for this tumultuous 2021-22 campaign mercifully arrives, the Lakers are still expected to part ways with embattled play-caller Frank Vogel, sources told B/R, and the anticipated vacancy on Los Angeles’ bench has produced no shortage of potential candidates linked to fill the position.”
Perhaps it isn’t fair to blame Vogel much for the Lakers’ struggles this season. But at the same time, it’s hard to say with a straight face that he has done a good job.
One possible replacement could be Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder, as reported by Marc Stein a couple of weeks ago.
The Jazz have been underperforming of late, and some feel it may cause him to leave the team and look elsewhere for employment, although it doesn’t seem clear how interested he’d be in coming to L.A.
But another candidate is one that Lakers fans may not have ever considered. In fact, he has been something of a rival of the Purple and Gold going back several years.
Via Bleacher Report:
“Doc Rivers, the Philadelphia 76ers’ head coach, is another active bench leader being mentioned by league personnel as a potential Lakers candidate.”
Although the Sixers are having a strong season and are championship contenders, it’s always possible that general manager Daryl Morey may move on from him, according to Fischer.
