The Los Angeles Lakers 2022 season has been filled with disappointment and falling below expectations. Despite entering the year as the betting favorite to win the Western Conference, the Lakers now sit nine games below .500 with just over a month remaining before the postseason.
Over the course of the season, after each and every bad loss, talking heads and Lakers’ fans alike have questioned the job security of head coach Frank Vogel. Regardless of the fact that Vogel led the purple and gold to the franchise’s 17th NBA Championship just two seasons ago, the drastic underperformance from this year’s team has seemingly resulted in Vogel’s leash becoming shorter and shorter.
As the season has worn on, and the Lakers not being able to suffer worse losses than some that they have already suffered (knock on wood, Lakers’ fans. . .), it has become increasingly unlikely that the Lakers’ brass makes an in-season coaching change.
Whether that is due to the fact that no possible replacement sitting next to Vogel looks any more appealing, or because Los Angeles feels that their championship-winning coach deserves more leeway, Vogel seems to be a lock to finish the season at this point.
Beyond the close of the current campaign, though, is a very different story. Unless the Lakers pull off some kind of miracle and make a deep playoff run, the odds that Vogel returns for a fourth season appear to be rather low.
The Los Angeles Lakers better hire the right replacement for Frank Vogel.
The roster has seemed checked out for large portions of the season and the former Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic coach has struggled to find solid rotations or an effective offensive gameplan.
If Vogel is let go during the offseason, the opportunity to coach a Lakers team led by Anthony Davis and LeBron James would certainly be an attractive one to candidates around the league.
That being said, let’s examine a few possible candidates for the Lakers’ new head coach for the 2023 season.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach candidate #1: Kenny Atkinson
Kenny Atkinson last served as a head coach for the Brooklyn Nets from 2016-2020. During those three seasons, Atkinson had a combined record of 90-156 record, but that record is not exactly indicative of the job he did for a rebuilding Nets franchise.
During each season of his tenure, the Nets improved from the previous season. In his final season with Brooklyn, he led an arguably below-average roster to a 42-40 record and secured the Nets their first playoff berth since 2015.
Since he stepped down as the lead-man for Brooklyn, he has served as an assistant for both the Los Angeles Clippers and, currently, the Golden State Warriors.
Atkinson is well-respected in the NBA coaching community and would likely immediately command the respect of both Lakers’ superstars in James and Davis. A self-proclaimed “outside-the-box thinker,” Atkinson has proven to be able to produce a solid offensive and defensive rating, even with limited personnel.
Furthermore, the Warriors’ assistant has shown an ability to get the most out of young players, a catalyst in the breakouts of D’Angelo Russell, Jarrett Allen, and Caris LeVert. Players such as Austin Reaves and Malik Monk would likely benefit from having Atkinson as their head coach.
Don’t count Atkinson out as a possible replacement for Frank Vogel.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach candidate #2: Sam Cassell
At some point, Sam Cassell is going to land an NBA head-coaching gig. He has too much experience and is too highly regarded around the league for him to go too much longer without getting a top job.
Cassell has been an assistant coach in the league for 13 years and was a player for 15 years before that. At the current moment, Cassell is an assistant coach for Doc Rivers in Philadelphia and he spent time with the Clippers, also with Rivers, and with the Wizards before that.
The former Boston Celtic has been beloved by his players since transitioning to the bench after his playing career and has been given a large amount of credit for the developments of both John Wall in Washington and Tyrese Maxey in Philly.
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Cassell would step in with the Lakers and immediately be a player-favorite. He has always been known as a players’ coach and, with a veteran team like the Lakers are, that would likely go a long way. LeBron James has always been known to be a fan of players’ coaches and had some of the most success during his career with one in Tyronn Lue. If the Lakers were to hire Cassell, there could be a similar dynamic to what James had in Cleveland with Lue.
With every offseason, it becomes increasingly likely that a team gives Cassell a shot as the lead-man and, this summer, it could very well be the Lakers.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach candidate #3: Mark Jackson
Mark Jackson has not coached in the NBA since he was fired by the Golden State Warriors and subsequently replaced with Steve Kerr following the 2014 NBA season. Every offseason, though, it seems his name is thrown around and linked to the top jobs in the league.
Now, with the Lakers’ job likely opening up this summer, we could see more of the same later this year.
Despite a rather awkward departure from Golden State, Jackson did a phenomenal job with the Warriors and was a catalyst in kick-starting the Warriors’ dynasty. After taking over a Warriors team that went 36-46 the previous season, Jackson amassed a record of 121-109 with Golden State. In his final two seasons, he won 98 total regular-season games. Due to the success the former NBA All-Star had in Oakland, it is likely that there will be another job for him when and if he wants it.
As a high-end former player, the ESPN broadcaster would likely be a favorite candidate of James and Davis.
Add in the fact that the Lakers love their big names, and Jackson could very well be at the top of the list for Jeanie Buss and company. The reality of this possible hire could simply depend on whether Jackson has any interest in leaving the announce desk.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach candidate #4: Terry Stotts
Terry Stotts is going to be a head coach in the NBA next season. After years of success with the Portland Trail Blazers, that is hardly a revelation. Stotts parted ways with Portland after nine seasons following the 2020-21 campaign.
In those nine seasons, Stotts missed the playoffs just once, and eclipsed 50 wins three different times. His high offensive acumen helped both Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum emerge as a top backcourt in the NBA.
A top-offensive mind like Stotts would be a welcome breath of fresh air after the last three seasons of Frank Vogel, who struggles mightily on that end of the floor. The former Portland head-man would likely have no issues implementing his high pick-and-roll system with LeBron and AD.
Additionally, Stotts has shown the ability to coach a superstar after coaching Lillard for the entirety of his career.
The one area of concern with Stotts would be the defensive side of the ball, which is almost certainly the reason he ended up leaving Portland. Whether it be the lack of defensive personnel or his lack of defensive coaching ability, his Trail Blazers’ teams were not able to guard well.
However, as long as the Lakers added a bright defensive mind to his staff, that should be an issue that can be worked around, especially with Anthony Davis manning the middle.
Watch for the Lakers to at least give Stotts an interview this upcoming offseason.