"LeBron is not getting any younger" - Shannon Sharpe tears into LA Lakers for their underwhelming performances despite being contenders for the NBA championship
Shannon Sharpe ripped into Frank Vogel and the LA Lakers in the latest episode of Undisputed. Vogel, who is the head coach of the Lakers, has become the target of heavy criticism over his team's poor performance this season. Much of the blame thrown at the 2020 championship-winning coach is based on the fact that the majority of the Lakers' star players are older and may not have multiple tries at the league title.
While in conversation with Skip Bayless, Shannon expressed a similar point of view. In a tweet shared by Undisputed, Shannon Sharpe had the following to say about Vogel and the LA Lakers:
"If they don't start winning, Frank will be gone. They put this team together to win now, LeBron is not getting any younger. When the coach starts to get criticism, he usually gets up out of there."
He continued: "Skip, they constructed this team. They put this veteran team together to win, to compete for title. This isn't competing. 12 and 12, the number 6 seed in the west is not competing for title."
Frank Vogel and LA Lakers come under heavy fire after their loss on Friday
Stephen A. Smith, while speaking on NBA on ESPN, had a very similar take regarding Frank Vogel and the LA Lakers.
Smith: "I expect the Lakers to fire Frank Vogel. I am not advocating it by any stretch of the imagination. I like Frank Vogel. Frank Vogel has been a top notch defensive mind in the NBA. I think he is a champion with the Los Angeles Lakers."
He continued: "But these are the Lakers, this is tensive time. We are looking at LeBron James - 36, ain't getting any younger. We are looking at Russell Westbrook - 32 ain't getting any younger."
The LA Lakers need to step up and perform better and they need to do it right now. The team is yet to perform as a unit. We have undeniably seen sparks of greatness from this team in the ongoing season, but they have been as few as they get.
Perhaps the LA Lakers were wrong to assemble a team that has so many key players with dominant personalities. But with 24 games gone and only 12 wins in their bag, the time to contemplate whether the players can build a good chemistry is gone. It is now time for Vogel to step up and push LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis into doing what they do best - winning games.