Frustration and tension lead the Lakers to a let down of a season, despite much hype at the beginning of the year. Photo by Thomas Shea. Courtesy of USA Today Sports.
By Mycah Serdenia, Staff Reporter.
The Los Angeles Lakers looked to be on the verge of another championship-worthy roster in 2021. With the signings of former MVP Russell Westbrook, offensive specialist Carmelo Anthony, and the return of three-time Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard, the Lakers were on track for another historic NBA season. Or so we thought.
The Lakers 2021-22 season came to an upsetting end when they faced the Denver Nuggets in their last regular season game. With a season-ending record of 33-49, the Lakers would not go on to make the Play-In Tournament for a chance to secure a seventh or eighth seed spot in the playoffs.
Being a die hard Laker fan, seeing the likes of Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook in the Purple and Gold, I thought, was only possible in a video game. When they officially announced their signings, I expected nothing less than the first seed in the regular season and a NBA Finals appearance.
What I didn’t expect was a regular season exit. In fact, it was not on the table at all when this team was put together. With so much anticipation for this roster to do well, it ultimately led to a handful of unfortunate injuries and internal issues occurring within the team.
After the night of their last game against the Nuggets, more news broke out with the announcement of the firing of head coach Frank Vogel. Despite being under contract for the next season, Vogel was subsequently terminated after their disappointing season.
Vogel’s departure felt rushed and to me, seemed like the scapegoat to avoid any other speculations about why the Lakers had the season they did. While there are things that I agree with from a spectator’s perspective, there are some things I disagree with from a players’ and management perspective on Vogel’s firing.
During the most crucial parts of the game, Vogel made very questionable substitutions that ultimately cost them those games. I also felt Vogel’s style of coaching did not match the ideologies and style of play with the team he had. Being a more defensive-minded coach, the ages and overall tenacity that he required from his team could never amount to what he wanted to do on the court.
Vogel did all he could with the firepower he had on the floor, but I do feel there is an equal sense of responsibility and who is to blame for this failure of a season.
In a press conference with the vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka, he decided to elaborate on the decision and why he and owner Jeanie Buss felt it was time to move on from Vogel.
“We just felt organizationally, at the highest level, it was time for a new voice,” he said. “He was a great coach here, and he’s going to go on to be a great head coach somewhere else.”
The decision also falls in line with some of the internal issues going on within the Lakers team and staff. Some issues stemmed from Russell Westbrook in particular where he and Vogel didn’t see eye to eye.
These tensions were clearly seen during games as Vogel would intentionally bench Westbrook for whole quarters, especially during crunch time.
Westbrook voiced his frustration in a post-game interview after a loss to the Bucks. “I earned the right to be in closing lineups,” he said. “I mean, numbers will tell you. I don’t have to explain it.”
With much of the Lakers struggles being shown on full display throughout the season, the hype surrounding this roster began to fade away. What I thought to be another championship run, turned into just another losing season. Players like Lebron James could be seen visibly frustrated with the team and taking it upon himself to keep the team afloat. Anthony Davis was also expected to make a bounce back return after hyperextending his knee against the Phoenix Suns in last year’s playoff run.
Despite dwelling on the many negatives of the season, Laker fans have a few promising things to look forward to for this squad. Stand outs to me were definitely rookie Austin Reaves and Malik Monk.
Going undrafted in 2021, Reaves remained to be one of the Lakers bright spots throughout the season. Regardless of his averages being nothing to boast about, he had a solid rookie season that he can use to build on as he progresses in his career. Dropping a triple-double in their final game of the season, the Lakers will definitely consider keeping Reaves around for years to come.
Malik Monk was also crucial in putting up some wins in the column for the Lakers throughout the season. Playing in almost every game that season, Monk averaged about 13.4 points per game and put on a highlight reel every time he took the floor. Also having a career night in their final game of the season, Monk put up 41 points to close the night.
Being the favorites to win the Finals this year came with the heavy burden of high expectations and more than exceptional results. The Lakers just could not overcome the struggles they were dealing with all through the season. With a head coaching position now vacant and free agency right around the corner, the Lakers will once again be looking to rebuild and reestablish the franchise and make another run for the title. I don’t think that has to be the case.
The Lakers over the past two seasons have brought on talent that, in my opinion, should have kept around for the long run. Alex Caruso is a prime example of who the Lakers should have spent some extra money on, as he played a major role in their 2020 championship title. The Lakers issues as of late stem from their lack of building a roster that will both produce and compete with the up and coming talent in the league. Banking on big names won’t be enough to get this team to where they need to be.
If there is one area the Lakers should focus on this offseason, it should be finding role players that James and Davis can rely on day in and day out. The team can definitely build off this season and tweak things that prevented them from performing at the highest level. Finding a head coach that will buy into the team’s composition and take on the task of working with the staff they have will be the defining factor of what takes this team all the way next season.
Regardless of this season being as lackluster as it was, make no mistake that the Lakers will be back as a top contender team next season. Laker Nation has always banked on keeping the faith in the organization, especially during its rocky years. Without a doubt, the Lakers will make moves going into next year, and everyone will be watching.
