By Jordan Long
The L.A. Lakers finished the season last night with a 146-141 victory over the Denver Nuggets in overtime. The Lakers ended with a record of 33-49. Once the final buzzer sounded, the Lakers fired Head Coach Frank Vogel.
Vogel has been successful with the Lakers. He was hired on March 13th, 2019. L.A. let go of Luke Walton as Head Coach. Walton spent 3 years in L.A. The Lakers went a disappointing 98-148, a winning percentage of .398. They didn’t even go to the postseason under Walton.
Vogel was hired to turn the franchise around. He had experience in the NBA coaching the Indiana Pacers and the Orlando Magic. He was with Indiana from 2010 to 2016 and Orlando from 2016 to 2018. With the Pacers, his record was 250-181, a winning percentage of .580. The Pacers earned a playoff spot 5 times under him. He was let go after the 2016 playoff run when Indiana lost to the Toronto Raptors in the first-round which ended in game 7. Orlando hired him but Vogel wasn’t there long. He spent two years in Orlando and the Magic were a disappointing 54-110 under him, failing to earn a playoff spot.
Vogel agreed to become the L.A. Lakers head coach. He helped the Lakers win a championship in his first year. The Lakers beat the Miami Heat in 6 games in 2020. The NBA finished the regular season and the playoffs in a bubble setting. The bar was set high after that year.
2021, L.A’s record dropped to 42-30. The Lakers still found a way to make the playoffs. They were beaten by the Suns in the first-round in 6 games. This year, there were high expectations for the team. They acquired Russell Westbrook who the Lakers hoped would form an All-Star lineup with Lebron James and Anthony Davis. It didn’t work out. Davis appeared in 40 games and missed most of the season dealing with a foot sprain. LeBron James played 56 games. He was out due to an ankle sprain. In the end, even though they had both stars out of the lineup, the Lakers chose Vogel as the scapegoat for the lost season.
Now that Vogel is gone, the Lakers will start a search for a new Head Coach. Two candidates who have been rumored are NBA Head Coaches, Quin Snyder and Doc Rivers. Snyder is the Utah Jazz Head Coach. He has been there since 2014. Including this year, the Jazz are an impressive 372-264, a winning percentage of .585. The Jazz earned a playoff spot 6 times including this year.
Snyder hasn’t been fired yet and may not be. He hasn’t said if he is interested in the Lakers’ job. Snyder is getting ready for a playoff series. The Utah Jazz face the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the NBA playoffs. It could be a long playoff run for the Jazz or it could end after the first-round series which could take Snyder out of the running for the Lakers’ job.
Rivers is the Head Coach of the 76ers. He is in the same boat as Snyder. Rivers is getting ready for his first-round matchup. Philadelphia is taking on the Toronto Raptors. It is highly unlikely Rivers is let go from Philadelphia. He has been the Head Coach of the 76ers for the past 2 seasons. Philadelphia has gone an impressive 100-54 under him, a winning percentage of .649. It doesn’t look like Snyder or Rivers will be the next Head Coach of the Lakers.
There is one name that makes a lot of sense to become the next Head Coach of the L.A. Lakers, Terry Stotts. Stotts has been a Head Coach in this league before with Atlanta, Milwaukee, and Portland. He was with the Atlanta Hawks from 2002 to 2004. He didn’t have much success with Atlanta with a record of 52-85, a winning percentage of .380. Atlanta didn’t even earn a playoff spot with him. His next stop was Milwaukee which lasted from 2005 to 2007. Stotts’ record with Milwaukee was 63-83, a winning percentage of .432. The Bucks went to the playoffs once, 2006. They were knocked off by the Detroit Pistons in the first round. He was fired after a 23-41 finish in 2007.
Stotts had to wait a while for his next Head Coaching gig. Portland hired him on August 7th, 2012. He lasted in Portland for 9 years with a record of 402-318, a winning percentage of .558. Portland earned a playoff spot every year except for 2013. Portland fired Stotts on June 6th, 2021. He failed to win an NBA championship with Portland. The furthest they went was the Western Conference Finals in 2019. They were swept by Golden State in that series.
Stotts should be the top candidate. He knows how to turn a franchise around even if he hasn’t won the NBA Championship. Stotts has the experience. He is also not working anywhere taking this year off. He would make a lot of sense for him to land as the next Head Coach of the Lakers. The Lakers though, will do what is best for the team. They will take their time to find the Head Coach to lead this team moving forward. Whoever they hire, hopefully, they find a way to help the Lakers not only make the playoffs but win the NBA Championship, anything less than that is a failure.
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