The Lakers’ search for a replacement is expected to be extensive and long – without a clear protagonist, sources said. The Lakers ended a disappointing 33-49 season on Sunday with a 146-141 victory in overtime against the Denver Nuggets after being eliminated from claiming the tournament on Tuesday. Vogel, who signed an initial three-year contract in 2019 and received a one-year extension until 2022-23 this previous off-season, said after Sunday’s game that he had not been told anything about his future with the team. 2 About “They did not tell me s — and I will enjoy tonight’s game, I will celebrate what these young kids did in terms of scratching and clawing and getting back into this game and getting a W, and we’ll deal with it tomorrow, “tomorrow,” he told reporters during post-match media availability. The sequel has been a constant challenge for Vogel and the Lakers this season, as they have had to deal with injuries to stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis and a challenging roster build, including limited shooting and sports. Los Angeles was the only team that did not have a team of five players to play 100 minutes together, according to a survey by ESPN Stats & Information. Despite entering the season with high expectations, the Lakers managed to have James, Davis and Russell Westbrook together for 21 games. They got 11-10 in these games. The Lakers finished the season in the last 10 teams in both offensive and defensive efficiency, occupying the 21st place in the defensive standings after finishing first in 2020-21 and third in 2019-20. Los Angeles lost 18 of its 24 games after the All-Star Game, with only the Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers finishing with the worst records during that period. Lakers rookie Austin Reeves, who scored a triple-double with 31 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists in Sunday’s final, said it was “good to come out with a big win for [Vogel] and our team. “ Malik Monk, who scored a career-high 41 points, attributed Vogel’s approach throughout the season, despite the fact that his job was in question. “He kept his cool all the time,” Monk said. “I did not talk about any problem like this. I did not talk about anything like that, man. He came in and worked and always gave us a great game … It was always about us. It never really concerned him. And I praise him for that, man. I know. “It was very difficult with him, but he never talked about it. He never changed his behavior.” Vogel led the Lakers to an NBA title in Orlando, Florida. Los Angeles. He is expected to be a candidate in future coaching circles in other parts of the league. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin contributed to this report.
