The Lakers had a really disappointing season. They had to deal with all kinds of injuries with LeBron James and Anthony Davis being out of the lineup for a big portion of the year but their biggest issue was effort.
It didn’t seem like Frank Vogel could get the guys to buy in on either end of the floor which ultimately led to his release. According to Sam Amick of The Athletic though, the reason Vogel was let go was because he couldn’t figure out how to really incorporate Russ into the his system and his overall handling of Russ.
“I’m starting to wonder if the Lakers might not trade Russell Westbrook this summer after all. And no, not just because Oram made a compelling argument on Monday as to why they should think twice about it.
When the decision was made to fire Vogel, sources say his handling of Westbrook and the inability to find a way to make him a more productive part of the program were among the factors that played a big part. There was a strong sense that it was on Vogel to make the Westbrook experiment work, and the fact that it didn’t led to questions about whether Westbrook had been put in a position to succeed. That sure smells like the hope of a Russ revival to me.
And how’s this for a tidbit to tie this thread up: Phil Jackson is known to have been a fan of Westbrook’s throughout his career. Sources say Phil Jackson has no interest in taking on this coaching job (or any other) himself — let’s just stop that rumor right here — but his view of Westbrook is relevant. As we’ve established, Jackson’s voice matters again.”
Only time will tell what they will do but one thing is for sure, the Lakers need to upgrade their team and choose the right coach.
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