With the number of votes, those of Magic Johnson, Kurt Rambishis wife Linda, Phil Jacksonwhich echo in the head of Jeanie Buss, the owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, with the presence of Rob Pelinkathe GM, without forgetting LeBron James et Rich Paul de Klutch Sports, Frank Vogel was arguably the least influential manager in the league when it came to deciding which players would be ideal for his squad. He probably didn’t want to Russell Westbrook for example.
But once the former MVP landed in California, the staff found themselves with the mission of best integrating a truly atypical basketball player whose profile did not match that of James. It was almost lost in advance. Despite this, Westbrook’s underperformance was a factor in Vogel’s firing according to The Athletic.
Russell Westbrook finished the season with just over 18 points per game, his worst average since his second year as a pro. Beyond the stats, he often seemed lost on the pitch. And he did not hesitate to blame the coaches, believing that he was not properly used.
In any case, the Lakers needed change after a disastrous exercise ended in eleventh place in the Western Conference. It’s sad, but the coach often serves as a scapegoat in these moments.
LeBron James and AD blamed by Lakers for Westbrook fiasco
