NBA legend Magic Johnson made a guest appearance on Monday's airing of ESPN's First Take. During the wide-ranging interview, Johnson was asked about the hiring of Frank Vogel, who was named head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers last week.
Johnson says he supports Vogel, but it sounds like he was pulling for Tyronn Lue.
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Johnson stepped down as president of basketball operations with the Lakers shortly after the 2018-19 regular season. It was a move that caught many by surprise, including LeBron James, who won a championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers under Lue's direction in 2016.
Some thought a pairing of James and Lue made sense, and it would have been a solid option. However, the Lakers were only willing to offer Lue a short-term deal, according to reports, which resulted in him declining.
Article Continues BelowOnce the Lue proposal fell through, the Lakers moved on to other head coaching prospects. And on Monday of last week, Frank Vogel was named head coach. He's set to be officially introduced today.
“We are excited to add Frank Vogel as the next head coach of the Lakers,” Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka announced in a statement. “Coach Vogel has a proven track record of success in the NBA Playoffs, and he reflects the core qualities we were looking for in a head coach – including, detailed game preparation, extreme hard work, and holding players accountable to the highest basketball standards.”
The Lakers had hopes of making it to the playoffs. However, several issues arose that obstructed their path, including injuries and a mishandled trade deadline.
Hopefully, under Vogel's direction, Los Angeles will be in the hunt next season.