The Los Angeles Lakers may have failed to defend their championship this 2020-21 NBA season, but nobody's salty about winning one out of three seasons in the LeBron James era. While Anthony Davis, Rob Pelinka, and James himself are obviously at the forefront of all the praise for their season of success, one unsung hero has been their head coach Frank Vogel.
The Lakers play-caller hasn't been the type to make significant headlines during his team coaching the Purple & Gold, and that may be a good thing. Frank Vogel has turned LA into a defensive juggernaut and has gone about his business quietly and efficiently.
But as Vogel enters his third season with the Lakers, he does so with no assurance of his future just yet. He had signed a 3-year deal with the club in 2019 and has yet to receive an extension, which has left some within the organization “surprised” with the inaction to re-up their title-winning coach, via report from Kyle Goon of the OC Register. While he indeed will still be under contract for the upcoming season, it's admittedly different for anyone, whether player or coach, to be under the pressure to perform for a new deal.
“While it’s still uncertain as of Friday who Kidd would ask, or if anyone would be willing to leave Los Angeles to join him, at least one factor in those decisions could be Vogel’s status: He is entering the last year of his contract next season. While ESPN reported shortly after the season ended that the Lakers planned to engage Vogel on extension discussions, and most expect Vogel will return with a new deal before next season, it has surprised some within the organization that the coach hasn’t received that deal already.”
Frank Vogel spoke out about his contract situation in the early part of June, claiming that if it were up to him, he'd be a Laker for life.
“I did sign a three-year contract. I just completed year two. And that’s where it’s at,” he said earlier this month. “You know, obviously, I love it here. I love this organization. And, you know, I hope to be a Laker for life. But, you know, all that stuff will play out in the right time.”
Given his enthusiasm and recent track record of success, it's indeed a bit puzzling that no progress has been made on that end just yet. But perhaps Rob Pelinka and his front office are zoned in on improving the Lakers roster first before tying up any other loose ends. We'll find out how it all shakes out as the offseason looms.
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