"With LeBron James, there's always going to be a level of protection" - LaVar Arrington believes 'The King' could get a pass for making Frank Vogel the fall guy
LeBron James and the LA Lakers had one of the most disappointing seasons in NBA history. The Lakers (33-49) finished outside the play-in tournament places as their offseason started earlier than anticipated. On Monday, the franchise parted ways with coach Frank Vogel, who appears to have been made the scapegoat for the team's abysmal campaign.
The 48-year-old was in charge of the Lakers for four seasons, taking the team to consecutive playoff appearances, including an NBA championship (in 2020). The Lakers had no choice but to fire Vogel after their woeful 2021 campaign, but he's not singularly responsible for the team's poor performances.
Thank you, Coach. https://t.co/8eb4Ia9ZqI
In '2 Pros and a Cup of Joe' on Fox Sports Radio, hosts Jonas Knox and LaVar Arrington discussed the firing of Vogel. Knox pointed out that with the exception of Erik Spoelstra, James has had a history of getting coaches sacked, saying:
"Frank Vogel actually sounds kind of relieved. He had to have known at some point this is probably going to be the way this is gonna go because this is how this goes with every coach seemingly LeBron James deals with, outside of Erik Spoelstra, that this was going to be his fate."
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Arrington acknowledged that it was inevitable, as Vogel was coaching James. He added that James getting a 'pass' from getting coaches fired is one of the perks of being a superstar. Arrington compared "The King" to Michael Jordan, as both were untouchable during their playing careers.
"With LeBron James, there's always going to be a level of protection, and make no mistake about it, that same thing existed with Michael Jordan when he was playing... And that was by design, and I think that's what's designed for LeBron," Arrington said.
What did LeBron James say after LA Lakers didn't make the postseason?
LeBron James and the rest of the LA Lakers players reflected on the team's disappointing season and their plans for the offseason.
"The King" said that he won't interfere with the front office regarding their plans to overhaul the roster. James, who pushed for the Lakers to acquire Russell Westbrook last summer, seems to be shifting strategies, as the trade turned out to be a failure. The 37-year-old said:
"It's not my decision to sit here and say, 'Well, this is what we should bring back and have on the roster.' That would be the front office's decision. And obviously they may ask my input, but at the end of the day, they'll make the decision they feel that best suits this franchise going forward."
James also commented on Vogel's firing, Westbrook and coming in second in the scoring title. The four-time MVP said that he respects Vogel and loves Westbrook's energy. He also called chasing the scoring title after getting eliminated from playoff contention 'the most wackest thing ever'.