Lakers coach Frank Vogel is on the hot seat.
Los Angeles is just 13-13. But four members of the expected starting lineup – LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Wayne Ellington and Trevor Ariza – have missed games.
Mark Medina of NBA.com:Lakers governor Jeanie Buss was asked how the organization would evaluate coach Frank Vogel in his third season.
“Until we’re 100% healthy, I don’t think you can really make any judgment,” Buss told NBA.com at halftime of the Lakers-Celtics game on Tuesday
Many people would prefer to operate this way. Vogel could get extra benefit of the doubt because he guided the Lakers to the 2020 championship.
But teams often must make decisions with incomplete information.
Ariza (ankle) remains sidelined. Kendrick Nunn – the Lakers’ highest-paid outside free-agent acquisition last offseason – will miss at least a few more weeks (knee). The Lakers’ historically old roster is more susceptible to injury. Will they ever be fully healthy?
At some point, the Lakers must determine whether Vogel is the right coach to lead this group to a title. It’s not necessarily an easy question. But if they wait until perfect health to decide, it might be too late.
