Lakers Coaching Rumors: Frank Vogel Enters Picture After Ty Lue Talks End
Former Magic coach Frank Vogel is set to interview with the Lakers on Thursday for the team's vacant head coaching position, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The meeting comes after the Lakers and Tyronn Lue ended contract negotiations. It was reported that Lue was seeking a five-year deal and declined a three-year, $18 million deal. Lue recently served as head coach of the Cavaliers, who fired him following an 0–6 start at the beginning of the 2018-19 season.
Vogel, 45, most recently coached the Magic but was fired in 2018 after two seasons with the franchise. He went to Orlando after spending five-plus seasons as the head coach of the Pacers. Vogel led Indiana to the playoffs in five of those six seasons, including in 2011, when he took over as interim coach.
The Lakers recently added Lionel Hollins and Mike Woodson as coaching candidates to their search, per The Athletic's Shams Charania. On Wednesday, Tania Ganguli of the L.A. Times reported that Juwan Howard and Jason Kidd are still being considered for Los Angeles' open position.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com reported the Lakers were trying to put Kidd on Lue's potential coaching staff as an assistant. Bill Oram of The Athletic reports the team tried to do something similar with former coach Luke Walton and wanted Kurt Rambis added to his crew of assistants.
The Lakers have been searching for a new head coach since firing Walton at the end of the 2018-19 regular season. Walton led the Lakers to a 37–45 record this season, missing the playoffs for the sixth-straight season.