After an embarrassing season that saw him miss the postseason entirely, the Los Angeles Lakers dropped the hammer on head coach and former Indiana Pacers play-caller Frank Vogel, after leading them to a championship two seasons ago. attended with them.
While the move was far from unexpected, it was viewed by fans and pundits alike, especially given that the bulk of the Lakers' struggles rest on their poor roster construction, surrounding a defensive-minded coach. Assembling a team full of non-defenders.
Frank Vogel has coached his final game for the Lakers, a decision that’s expected to be shared with him as soon as Monday, sources tell ESPN. Lakers’ search expected to be lengthy and expansive with no clear initial frontrunner.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 11, 2022
Worse, reports of a shootout came before their season finale against Denver even threw Vogel.
Frank Vogel responds to reports that he will be fired as Lakers head coach. pic.twitter.com/BjzkysxqQE
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 11, 2022
Should the Indiana Pacers chase Frank Vogel for another goal?
Despite some cloudiness over him this season, Frank Vogel remains a respected coach in the NBA, widely known for his defensive systems. Vogel's tenure with the Blue and Gold, the second winning coach in the history of the Indiana Pacers, produced some of the most successful runs for the franchise, flirting with the NBA Finals twice in 2013 and 2014.
After a turbulent reign in L.A., Vogel should easily be able to get another job if he so desires. As a result, the Pacers should call on their availability and willingness for a less prominent role in Indiana and help the franchise gain ground as it builds for the future.
The Pacers struggled so much on defense as they cruised to only 28th position defensive ratings this season, they clearly need a lot of help in this regard. And while coaching requires a functional engine to make it work, Vogel can lay the groundwork for Rick Carlisle & co. As a defensive coordinator, he's been missing something a lot since Dan Burke left town.
Newly-axed coaches usually take time to recharge, but working in a familiar environment can tempt Vogel, especially since his shortcomings will be compounded in a lesser role, although the current roster has only Miles Turner under him. has played.
Bringing back Frank Vogel would be objectively impossible, but the Indiana Pacers have plenty of reasons to want him back. However, whether the ex-coach exchanges interest is another story.