Frank Vogel on hot seat as Lakers' inconsistency continues

Sometimes, the best jobs are the toughest to keep.

According to a report in "The Athletic," despite a win over the Utah Jazz on Monday, Los Angeles Lakers coach Frank Vogel could be on his way out the door in Tinseltown and was nearly relieved of his duties after a 37-point loss at Denver on Saturday.

"By the time the Lakers and Jazz tipped off on Monday night, sources said, Vogel was coaching for his job after he narrowly avoided being fired in the wake of the 37-point loss in Denver 48 hours earlier," Bill Oram and Sam Amick wrote. "Had a scene like that repeated itself against the Jazz, many believed it would have been Vogel’s last game."

According to the report, Vogel's employment status is being evaluated nightly.

"Vogel, who coached the Lakers to a championship in 2020 and whose contract runs through the 2022-23 campaign, is being evaluated on a game-to-game basis and remains at risk of being fired soon if the progress doesn’t continue, sources said. It’s unclear how much Monday’s win relieved the pressure that surrounds him."

L.A. sits at 22-22, good for seventh in the Western Conference and 17th in the league. 

Arguably the biggest issue for the Lakers this season has been the absence of superstar forward Anthony Davis, who has missed 17 games, including the past 14. 

However, the team's inconsistency and apparent inability to mesh as a unit could be a close second. 

Consider this: Dating to Dec. 10, over their past 17 games, the Lakers won three in a row, lost five in a row, split a pair, won four straight and lost three straight before Monday's win.

Although Monday's win came against one of the league's best teams in the Jazz, it was just two days after that 133-96 beatdown at the hands of the Nuggets.

Inconsistency has been something of a constant for L.A. under Vogel. 

In his first season in 2019-20, the Lakers won the NBA championship in the Orlando bubble, but last season, they fell to the eventual Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns in six games in the first round.

Furthermore, they finished seventh in the West last season, earning a three-point win over the Golden State Warriors in the play-in round to qualify for the postseason. 

Under Vogel, the Lakers are 116-71 (.620) in the regular season and 18-9 (.667) in the postseason. Through 44 games in his first season, the Lakers were 35-9 (.795), and through 44 games in his second season, they were 28-16 (.636). 

In 2019-20, L.A. had an offensive rating of 112.0 (12th in the NBA), a defensive rating of 106.3 (third) and a +5.7 net rating (fifth). In 2020-21, the Lakers had a 109.9 offensive rating (24th), a 107.1 defensive rating (first) and a +2.8 net rating (eighth). This season, their 108.7 offensive rating is 24th, their 110.1 defensive rating is 17th, and their -1.4 net rating is 21st in the NBA.

Should Vogel's job be in jeopardy after two playoff appearances and one NBA title in a little more than two seasons?

Shannon Sharpe said yes on Tuesday's "Undisputed," but not because Vogel is failing as a coach –– because the Lakers, as constructed, spelled disaster for their coach. 

"Whoever put this team together bears a lot of responsibility. I don't like Frank Vogel's lineups, his rotations –– I don't like that. … But you're asking him to make a meal fit for a king — with what? Do you understand the pieces that they have together do not work?

"Not one person thought [Russell Westbrook] with A.D. and LeBron [James] would work."

Westbrook's struggles have been well-chronicled this season. In his first year with the Lakers, he is averaging 4.3 turnovers per game (third-most in the NBA) while shooting 43.6% from the field, 28.9% from distance and 66.8% from the free-throw line.

As mentioned, A.D. has missed a large chunk of the season, and even though James is having an outstanding campaign in his 19th season (28.8 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 6.5 APG), it hasn't been enough to keep the Lakers over .500.

In Skip Bayless' mind, even though Sharpe's sentiments ring true, Vogel could end up as collateral damage in the midst of the Lakers' ups and downs. 

"I believe his clock started officially ticking on Saturday night, when the great Magic Johnson tweeted after the game his shame about the lack of effort he saw and no sense of urgency. … At some point, you just have to change the voice in the locker room. It's not fair, but it's reality.

"You can't fire these players."

The Lakers will next take on Indiana on Wednesday before setting sail for a six-game East Coast road trip.

If Vogel will still be employed by the time they venture back west will, apparently, continue to be an hourly consideration.