So much more was expected from this group, but that’s the forecasters’ fault, not Vogel’s. Change is certainly coming, as one league source insists, because “the Lakers are not a stay-the-course kind of team” when things are going bad. I just can’t see a decision from team owner Jeanie Buss, Pelinka and top advisers Kurt and Linda Rambis to oust Vogel, or any sort of forthcoming trade, raising the Lakers’ ceiling significantly. – via Marc Stein @ marcstein.substack.com
The Lakers recently went 1-5 under acting coach David Fizdale while Vogel was stranded last month in the league’s health and safety protocols, then won four in a row after Vogel returned to the bench. A loss at Sacramento and the Denver debacle soon followed, but recent results don’t exactly support the notion making the rounds in league coaching circles that Vogel has lost all sway over a roster filled with outsize personalities. – via Marc Stein @ marcstein.substack.com
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. Still, the temperature has been rising. – via Dan Woike, Broderick Turner @ Los Angeles Times
