Prior to the Lakers‘ game against Indiana on Wednesday night, head coach Frank Vogel addressed recent rumors about his tenuous job security, suggesting he’s unfazed by reports that state he’s on the hot seat and is being evaluated on a game-to-game basis.
“I don’t feel like I’m under siege,” Vogel said, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “It’s not hard to do my job; I’m very focused on the task at hand. I’ve always been that way.”
Although Vogel downplayed concerns about his status, his decisions down the stretch in the Lakers’ loss to the Pacers seemed to reflect some added urgency. As McMenamin writes in a separate story, Vogel removed nine-time All-Star Russell Westbrook from the lineup during crunch time after Westbrook continued to struggle with his shot and failed to execute on defense. Vogel said after the game he was “playing the guys that I thought were going to win the game.”
According to McMenamin, the Lakers’ coaching staff has been debating for weeks whether to remove Westbrook during late-game situations, but had hesitated due to concerns about how it would affect the guard’s psyche. The staff finally pulled Westbrook in the fourth quarter on Wednesday after receiving assurances from management that it supported the hard-line stance, sources tell ESPN.
Westbrook left the arena after the game without speaking to reporters, but it’s probably safe to assume he wasn’t thrilled to be on the bench for the final 3:52 of the loss. “Would you think that would bother Russ not being in a late game?” teammate LeBron James asked rhetorically when reporters pressed him on the subject.
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- James expressed no desire to see Vogel replaced when asked on Wednesday about the coaching situation. “Coaching staff has been great,” LeBron said, per McMenamin. “They put us in position to succeed, and it’s up to us to handle the business, so there’s always things that we all can do better, but there’s no blame.” Veteran forward Carmelo Anthony took a similar stance: “Frank’s not out there. It’s up to us to go out there and execute and play basketball and win some games.”
- The decision to bench Westbrook adds even more intrigue to the ongoing Vogel saga, Bill Oram of The Athletic writes. Both Oram and Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported that Vogel’s job isn’t in immediate jeopardy and that the head coach is traveling with the team to Orlando for Friday’s game. The Magic have an NBA-worst 8-38 record, so it seems safe to assume a loss tomorrow wouldn’t bode well for Vogel.
- In an article for Bleacher Report, Eric Pincus examines the Vogel situation and considers possible roster moves for the Lakers. Sources tell Pincus that Ben Simmons, Jerami Grant, Harrison Barnes, and Myles Turner are among the potential targets L.A. has looked at, but it’s hard to imagine the team having the ammunition to outbid rival suitors for any of those players.
- Speaking to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, Lakers forward Stanley Johnson said he isn’t sure whether the Lakers will keep him beyond his second 10-day contract, but he’s trying to “give (his) best effort” to show he deserves a full-season commitment. Spears’ piece includes a few other interesting quotes from Johnson, including his account of how an “honest conversation” with Raptors president Masai Ujiri last year helped inspire him.
When is LeBron going back to Cleveland?
Cleveland doesn’t need old Lebron
He will be back after his contract expires. Cavs know it will be a big money maker for them.
Westbrook will be a big tough decision for Lakers do they buy him out or just release him. The guy plays no defense and his horrible shooting is a sign his days are numbered. Laker’s should just buy him out now and cut loses but we know that will not happen. They are stuck with 1 bad contract for a player better at being off the bench.
He can still add value to Lakers if he comes off the bench 15-20 minutes a game. He will also be fresh the less he plays. If his attitude goes sour, then they have to eat the contract.
problem is will he accept being a bench player. Iggy was able to accept the role on the warriors but Westbrook loves the spot light more. He needs to understand that helping a team wins is more important than some stats. They should play him off the bench the rest of the season to force his hand on the option he has.
I think this benching may be the test – will he accept a reduced role for the sake of the team? (So far, results are not so good).
Because if not I think they’ll have to look hard at all options to get him off the team by the postseason – maybe pull a OKC and tell him to go home with back spasms are something.
Iggy was never Westbrook lol
He was a very good player that was taken out of the staring lineup to be a 6th man off the bench. A example of a good doing what best for the team not stats.
Honestly, at this point the much joked about Wall for Westbrook Sequel Trade isn’t really that ridiculous?
Wall’s stats last year on Houston: 20.6PPG/6.9AST/.404/.317/.749
PER 15.4 BPM -0.7
That’s essentially Westbrook this year – with the exception that Wall will actually accept a reduced role, maybe even a 6th Man role (which is really how Russ should be used at this point).
The good news for LA is if AD and LeBron are healthy for the playoffs, and they can snag a buyout guy or 2 (likely) they might be able cobble a 5 man rotation around their two elite players.
They just can’t have RWB playing 30MPG, playing terrible D, and wasting possessions in key moments.
problem is what would Rockets be given to make the trade equal. Wall is easier to trade than Westbrook because of defense and willingness to come off the bench. Lakers would need to throw in draft picks and THT.
THT? No way. Maybe a future 2nd if anything.
But really, why does Houston need anything from LA? It could be 1:1 The end result is the same – they’ll shut down Russ just like they’ve shut down Wall, then buy him out this summer. No need to worry about offloading RWB again.
Houston should do it as a personal favor to Wall – gives them the optics of ‘taking care of their players’.
Get out bro Walls contract is just as bad Washington gave two first rounders with wall for Westbrook they should give the same you crazy
0 reason for Houston to make the trade. Why would they want a disgruntle player to influence their young players? Westbrook would just be about stats not creating a winning culture. So yes the lakers would need to attach something more to make a team want to take him.
Ok—if you don’t believe agent goodwill is a thing then have LA throw in two 2nd rd swaps. Houston gets (a little) something for literally nothing. Because there is literally no market for Wall.
Point about Russ corrupting the youth rings a little hollow—if they can banish Wall, why not Russ.
What you don’t understand Westbrook doesn’t improve the Rockets. So why would a team rebuilding want him? They are not going to do a favor to the Lakers. So you would need to throw something in to motivate Houston. How much does wall fitting the Lakers make it worth giving up extra for him?
A) Like I said, throw in a couple 2nds, that’s why Houston does it. As opposed to keeping Wall and getting … nothing.
B) It does kind of make a fairly big difference to LA. Westbrook is a minus for them but they can’t bench him for obvious reasons. Bringing in a comparable player who will actually play his role is 100% worth giving up marginal future assets. LA is all-in.
Wall is more fragile than Brodie. As much as Russ helping the second unit, from an ego standpoint, he’ll hate it. Ive heard coaches say, if a star player doesn’t knowledge their regression, it makes the conversation from. their end that much more challenging. Russ needs to know his limitations, but LeBron needs to be a better mentor and address change and help reshape Brodies big perspective 2nd half of his career.
If Lebron can’t motivate a player nothing will. Nobody can accuse LeBron will to win and be the best. Westbrook defensive skills are terrible and its too late to improve them.
Lakers fans
Would you trade Westbrook for John Wall?
Kevin Love salary is not match
Halliburton salary is not match
Never
What about Westbrook for Love and Gordon?
I hope Vogel gets fired and goes to a team that appreciates him! Smdh Lakers fans…
There isn’t one comment in here from a Lakers fan that blames Vogel. Everything I’ve read on the recent Lakers posts have been much more critical of Pelinka, which I agree with. Aside from the typical LeBron haters, most everyone agrees that Pelinka is the reason this roster isn’t built as efficiently as it should be
Bench Westbrook if he plays defense like this
Vogel said after the game he was “playing the guys that I thought were going to win the game” – meaning he was coaching. No wonder the media was confused. At this point, I would be surprised if Vogel cares whether he’s fired (he might even welcome it).
Isn’t this all Robs fault?
It is, but Pelinka won’t fire himself. If he fires Vogel, Rob should be forced to coach the roster he built as punishment though.
Russell Westbrook would be the best 6th man in the NBA and that is the role that’s gonna suit him best moving forward. If he’s hot let him run a little longer, if he’s cold and turning the ball over and getting burned on defense then it’s back to the bench he goes.
Best 6th man in the league… on paper. Absolutely!
Westbrook – on the court – is the problem.
Whether he starts the game or not, he’s still Westbrook.
#FreeBenSimmons
Lakers’ D is the problem, guys like levert, shai gilgeous alexander, etc, all of a sudden playing at a superstar level.
Great that Vogel finally had the cojones to bench Russ but the purpose is defeated if you then put Carmelo in instead. Melo isn’t a good defender. And with Levert on a roll, someone like Bradley who was also in should have been glued to him at the hip the whole time to force the ball out of his hands. Force someone else to shoot.
Plenty of blame to go around for sure but Vogel traded one controversial but good decision (sitting Russ) for a bad one (Melo on the court in the last 4min). Add to that, that noone was sticking on Levert, and the Pacers loss is largely on Vogel.