Former NBA Champion Makes a Bizarre Claim on Lakers’ Playoff Ambitions: “If They Fired Their Head Coach…They Don’t Respect Him”

Barring their recent win over the Nets, the Lakers season hasn’t gone according to plan. With a 24-24 record, the ‘Purple and Gold’ sit 8th in the West as the halfway mark of the season approaches. To make matters worse, LeBron and Co. should act soon if they wish to trade for pieces as the trade deadline comes closer.

If anything, there’s a sense of urgency for the Lakers. With LeBron being 37 years of age and a team consisting of an injury-prone AD, and a Westbrook that hasn’t gelled well, things don’t look straightforward in the Lakers’ upcoming future, especially since they will be taking on the 76ers, Hornets, and Hawks in their next 3 games.

In the most recent episode of the ‘ALL THE SMOKE’ podcast, hosts Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson sat down with their special guest – Kendrick Perkins, to discuss various events that took place this season. One of the topics that was picked up was the Los Angeles Lakers and the possibility of them making it out of the Western Conference.

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The Possibility of the Los Angeles Lakers coming out of the west

On the show, when questioned whether the Lakers would make it out of the West, co-host Stephen Jackson said that it would be possible only if they fired head coach Frank Vogel.

“Yeah, if they fired their head coach. I’ve never been a fan of Vogel. I don’t think he’s the coach for this team bro,” said Jackson.

“When the championship team was new, AD and Bron knew they gonna dig good enough to figure it out for a season. They gettin’ older, you addin’ all these pieces, he can’t handle all this – Russ, Melo, just too much for him. And that’s why they comin’ together, because they don’t respect him,” explained Jackson.

Furthermore, Jackson would go on to explain how a personality like Gregg Popovich was required. Such a personality commands respect from his players regardless of how large their salaries are. He would also say that Westbrook would need to be benched until he played in a way that benefitted his team.

Los Angeles Lakers under Frank Vogel

Under Frank Vogel, The Lakers won a championship, and that’s where the success for the team halted. Over the 3 seasons that Vogel has been the head coach, the Lakers have won 118 regular-season games and 27 playoff games. Although these numbers are good, they seem to be heading in a downward trend so far. This includes their Defensive Rating as well, which is an indicator of the number of points that a team allows per 100 possessions.

Moreover, looking at the 2021-22 season alone, the Defensive Rating is higher than the Offensive Rating which is an indicator of poor defense. Maybe it’s age, maybe it’s the coach, maybe it’s both, or maybe it’s none of them at all. What matters now is that the Los Angeles Lakers have to play at a high level every night. That’s the only way out of the hole they’re in right now.

Do you think the Lakers will sign a new head coach this season? Let us know in the comments below.

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