Sports analyst Stephen A. Smith blamed Lakers head coach Frank Vogel for the way his team lost a crucial game against the Pelicans. According to Smith, it looks like Los Angeles does not care about the results and that is a head coach’s responsibility.
“I’m pointing the finger at Frank Vogel and the front office,” Smith said on NBA Countdown. “Rob Pelinka is included in that mix because of the talent that you surrounded LeBron James with. He doesn’t get to get a pass either LeBron James.
“But ultimately this comes down to Frank Vogel to me. And the reason why is because this is not an indictment on his coaching ability. This is not an indictment on if you give players does he know what to do with it or even whether he should be a head coach again or not because I think this is it – Frank Vogel will be gone at the end of this season.
“But the point is, I was of the mindset that the Lakers should have gotten rid of him before the All-Star break because you need to have somebody that was capable of getting in players faces and holding them accountable.
“I don’t know if anybody has noticed this but the Los Angeles Lakers have spent the last couple of weeks looking like they have quit, they look like they don’t give a damn. That is an indictment against the coach. You can’t play, you’re coaching this team.
“He’s not the only one that’s culpable, I’m not trying to imply that at all. I’m not even trying to imply that as a small because look at the roster you gave him.
“But the point is that you have an opportunity to milk as much out of them as you possibly could. Frank Vogel showed an inability to do that and as a result since at least a couple of those players ain’t going anywhere. I think inevitably you make a change.”
