Los Angeles Lakers fire head coach Frank Vogel after disappointing season

By CNN Sport Staff

Updated 1833 GMT (0233 HKT) April 11, 2022

Head coach Frank Vogel has been fired from the Los Angeles Lakers.

(CNN)The Los Angeles Lakers have fired head coach Frank Vogel after the franchise missed out on the NBA playoffs this season.

Despite a victory over the Denver Nuggets in his final game on Sunday, Vogel was unable to steer the squad into the postseason after the Lakers suffered eight consecutive defeats from March 24 to April 8.Rob Pelinka, the team's vice president of basketball operations and General Manager, announced the decision via a news release.«I have a tremendous amount of respect for Frank both on and off the court. Frank is a great coach and a good man. We will forever be grateful to him for his work in guiding us to the 2019-20 NBA championship.»This is an incredibly difficult decision to make, but one we feel is necessary at this point. All of us here wish Frank and his wonderful family all the best for the future," Pelinka stated.Read MoreWhen Lakers star forward LeBron James was asked about Vogel's situation ahead of the team statement release, James said, «I respect Frank as a coach, as a man. Our partnership that we have had over a few years here has been nothing but just candid with great conversations. This guy gives everything to the game and prepared us every single night along with his coaching staff as well.… I got nothing but respect for him.»In Vogel's first season at the helm, he led the Lakers to a 52-19 record and the franchise's 17th NBA title, tying the Boston Celtics for most championships in league history, during the Covid-19 pandemic-shortened 2019-2020 during the Covid-19 bubble season in Orlando, Florida.Last season, Los Angeles lost to the eventual Western