Los Angeles Lakers: Frank Vogel hiring reveals who maybe in charge

The Los Angeles Lakers hiring of Frank Vogel to be their next head coach gives a clue as to who may be running the team.

Frank Vogel is the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Jason Kidd is the assistant with the “prominent” role on the bench. Something that Tyronn Lue and Monty Williams would never agree to. Vogel took a three-year deal which is below market for new coaches in the NBA.

Surprised? You shouldn’t be at this point. But it does show the hierarchy of the Los Angeles Lakers. Magic Johnson quits. Luke Walton fired. Protests in front of Staples Center. This is not what the NBA had in mind when the late Dr. Jerry Buss passed on.

Jeanie Buss had an interview with concerning the state of the Los Angeles Lakers when she fired her brother Jim Buss and replaced him with Magic Johnson. In that interview, Ms. Buss talks about a phone call after Dr. Jerry Buss passed away.

That phone call was from the former NBA commissioner David Stern and the two had a small conversation about the Lakers. Here’s a snippet of that interview courtesy of Kai Ryssdal.

"Jeanie Buss: When my father passed away, then [NBA] Commissioner David Stern called me, and he said, “Jeanie, don’t let the team fail. Like, don’t run it into the ground. It would break your dad’s heart.” Kai Ryssdal: Did he really say that? Buss: Oh, yeah. Ryssdal: Oh, my God. Buss: And it was difficult, because I wasn’t in charge of basketball, my brother was. And I asked him, “How long is it going to take you to get the team on track?” And he gave himself a timeline, which, you know, as time went on, I realized it wasn’t going to happen, and that’s why I had to make the change that I did. But I, you know, I took that to heart and I wouldn’t let this — you know, I think you know my dad had six kids. I think the Lakers were his favorite kid."

Well after reading this quote, if you are a Lakers fan based on what has happened some observations will be looked at and it is very ugly right now. Let’s break it down, shall we?

We are going to start with a prayer that former NBA Commissioner David Stern is wrong about Dr. Jerry Buss’ heartbreak because his “favorite kid” is definitely being run into the ground at this point.

Jeanie Buss calls that conversation “difficult” because she wasn’t in charge of basketball operations. Well, she is now, considering she unceremoniously fired her brother Jim and the longtime general manager, Mitch Kupchak.

Finally, Jeanie Buss asked her brother about how long it will take him to get the team back on track. Trust me, there a legion of Los Angeles Lakers fans asking the same question with a timeline.

The Tyronn Lue fiasco has put the franchise in such a bad state, fans may need to call the former regime and apologize for overreacting at times. I’m not saying that they did not have missteps but they do pale in comparison to this quagmire that is playing out like a very bad reality show.

What’s so frustrating about the Los Angeles Lakers at this point is there is no evidence of a plan going forward. After a disastrous season that was supposed to be a playoff berth for the Lakers to attract free agents, the late Dr. Buss’ heartbreak officially begins.

1) The President of Basketball Operations. Magic Johnson resigned about an hour before the last game of the season. Remember, Magic was like Dr. Buss’ son.

2) The head coach, Luke Walton, was fired soon after the season ended only to be hired by a division rival, the Sacramento Kings, the next day.

3) Names of potential replacements for Magic Johnson gets leaked but never pan out. Either they get shut down (Pat Riley) or never get called at all (Jerry West).

The funny thing about all of this is that there is belief around the Los Angeles Lakers organization that this is still the number one spot for potential free agents (Lakers fans, believe me. the team still thinks they have a shot at Kawhi Leonard) with no front office experience, no coach and the pre-draft camps coming down the line next week.

Lake Show Life is going to try to help fans out with a guide (Okay maybe a guess) on who is involved in the decision-making and a history lesson on each person.

First up, the low man on the totem pole in the Lakers front office

Now, remember, Rob Pelinka was also on Magic Johnson’s wish list of people that he wanted to be fired. Jeanie Buss balked at the idea and well, we have Rob Pelinka still on as a member of the front office.

At least that was told to the coaching candidates. We really don’t know what the man can accomplish as of this moment but based on these negotiations with Lue, he’s the leg man bringing information to the decision makers.

Also, read, Rob Pelinka is the rubber stamp because this coaching search was supposed to be his job. Either he has no power or no clue.

Adrian Wojnarowski discussed how Pelinka dropped the ball on his “Woj Pod” podcast.

"Because they were ready to move toward Monty Williams, and I think the Lakers never really took seriously the possibility he was going to take that Suns job, and he did, and I know it surprised them. “I think Williams came in a little more circumspect. He wanted to understand, with Phoenix and the Lakers, he wanted answers about … where the power is, where the influence is, who’s really making decisions … I think Monty looked it as just a little more, ‘I’m going to take the Lakers name off and say: What do I see here?’"

That’s what all of the fans of the Los Angeles Lakers want to find out. After Magic Johnson quit and the names the franchise were throwing out to replace him were not coming, so Rob Pelinka was supposed to be the guy in charge.

First, he underestimates Williams taking the Phoenix job according to Wojnarowski and now this.

The funny thing is, there are fans that are trying to convince me that the Lakers can get free agents to play with LeBron James. To those people, I say this.

If the organization can’t carry on a competent negotiation with top coaching candidates that they desire (Let’s be clear, Ty Lue wanted to be the coach of the Lakers) how in the world can the Lakers get free agents?

https://twitter.com/ESPNLosAngeles/status/1126268082614226944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1126268082614226944&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Flakeshowlife.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D98541%26action%3Dedit

But who is the “them” Jorge Sedano is talking about? Let’s start with the first couple in the Los Angeles Lakers organization.

The Ty Lue disaster may be directly linked to the Rambis couple

The record scratching noise that Lakers fans heard this week was the coaching negotiations between Tyronn Lue and the Los Angeles Lakers front office, led by Kurt Rambis, who was at the helm of the talks.

After Monty Williams allegedly “shocked” the Lakers and signed a deal with the Phoenix Suns, the Lakers continued to botch the coaching search by basically disrespecting the candidate they “really wanted” by offering him a shorter term contract than his counterparts.

That offer coincidentally linked him to the length of the rest of LeBron James‘ contract. As a result, negotiations stalled.

According to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, here’s what the Lakers can do to clean up this mess.

Breaking down what Stephen A. Smith is saying is Monty Williams was given a five-year deal by the Phoenix Suns. Last year, the New York Knicks inked a five-year deal with David Fizdale. Neither of these coaches led teams to the NBA Finals much less led their team to a championship. Reportedly, the Lakers offered Lue a three-year deal at $6 million per season.

Now let’s talk about who the Lakers wanted on the bench as their choice and not Lue. It seems the Lakers wanted Jason Kidd on the bench as well as Kurt Rambis as the lead assistant. Now let’s put this in perspective.

Kurt Rambis comes to a championship coach for an interview to coach the Los Angeles Lakers and he works under him as the lead assistant. Plus he wants Jason Kidd, who was one of the leading candidates for the job on the staff as well.

Lake Show Life talked about Kidd’s qualifications weeks ago, and research would tell any qualified executive that this would be a complete mess. So let’s talk Kurt Rambis.

Kurt Rambis filled in for the Los Angeles Lakers as head coach in 1999 after Del Harris got fired during the lockout season. Phil Jackson eventually took over as head coach in the offseason. Then Rambis was bumped up to assistant general manager. Let’s hold to this period of time. It’ll all connect at the end.

Rambis’ only head coaching gig was in Minnesota, where he lasted half of his contract with a putrid 32-132 record. Now, if you think the rest of Kurt Rambis’ resume is stellar, Lakers fans can reach out to two New York Knicks fans on the Lake Show Life staff. Those two are myself and Kenneth Teape. We both witnessed Rambis’ performance in the debacle that was in New York.

He was the lead assistant to Derek Fisher, who lasted a year and a half and Jeff Hornacek, who was even worse. Over those two coaches tenures when he was the lead assistant the Knicks were 60-104.

As for Linda Rambis, she is the voice of the Los Angeles Lakers. Let’s all get used to it and accept it. Right now, Jeanie Buss’ business plan is unknown at this point but the advice of Ms. Rambis is important to her.

In some circles, some GM’s and NBA executives call her a “shadow owner”. Now if Linda Rambis has Jeanie Buss’ ear, Kurt Rambis has to have a power piece to get next to as well. It’s somebody he has followed his entire coaching career.

It’s somebody lurking in the shadows that the fans and media are missing here.

Phil Jackson will end up in a position similar to Jerry West across the hall

Yes, Los Angeles Lakers fans, you heard it here first. I truly believe that Phil Jackson will eventually be given an official role similar to Jerry West as a consultant role with just as much power. I mean it’s not hard to figure out if you put all of the history together. When Phil Jackson was in New York running the franchise into the ground, who was there? Kurt Rambis.

When Derek Fisher embarrassed the Knicks as head coach on and off the court, who was the lead assistant? Kurt Rambis! How about when Jeff Hornacek was stuck with trying to navigate the triangle offense while Phil Jackson and Carmelo Anthony were beefing? Yep, Kurt Rambis.

You see, in the corporate world, there is always that one guy that can stay employed in high-powered positions based on who they know. Kurt Rambis should be in the dictionary next to the definition.

Like did anyone really think this was a coincidence?

If I remember, this was around the time that Luke Walton was on the hot seat. Phil Jackson has always fancied having a high-ranking position with the Lakers. This goes back to when he was coaching during the three-peat Shaquille O’Neal/Kobe Bryant years. He didn’t have the rosiest relationship with Jerry West back then. That’s one of the reasons why Jerry West stepped down.

Starting to figure out why the Lakers haven’t picked up the phone to call Jerry West yet? As a journalist, I really hope that the reason Phil Jackson is a potential power broker in the front office is not because he was Jeanie Buss’ former fiancee, I really don’t.

But this long list of missteps over 39 months that the New York Knicks are still paying for to this day proves that Phil Jackson decisions should be limited to paper or plastic.

It’s also no secret that Jeanie Buss is perturbed over the success of the crosstown Clippers and it would be no surprise to hand Phil Jackson a similar position to get under Jerry West’s skin.

Now let’s assume I am correct and Phil Jackson has the pull that I am talking about. It’ll end badly, but the drama will be endless.

Phil Jackson and LeBron James getting along? Pfft!

It was a little while back Lakers fans, but do you remember when Phil Jackson referred to LeBron James’ camp as a posse? Some thought (myself included) that it was sour grapes because the Knicks couldn’t even get LeBron James to even pick up the phone and call back during free agency when he left the Miami Heat to come back to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Then he spent his entire tenure in New York basically trying to get Carmelo Anthony traded out of town to the point he asked the Knicks to buy him out of his contract.

Now listen as Stephen A. Smith talks about LeBron James trade talk.

https://twitter.com/TheSportsNotes/status/1126286536645857280

The Los Angeles Lakers have made it clear to LeBron James that he will not have the free will to do what he wants as he did in Cleveland for four years. This coaching search is about power and without Magic Johnson in the front office, LeBron James will face even more issues with Phil Jackson running the show with complete and thorough backing of ownership.

Now, based on the eccentric history and beefs of Phil Jackson that go back to the Jordan years in Chicago, I ask, does this seem outlandish?

Over the summer, you will see that it is not. Buckle up Lakers fans, things may get a lot worse before it gets better.