Frank Vogel Fired as Lakers HC amid Nick Nurse, Juwan Howard Rumors

The Los Angeles Lakers have fired head coach Frank Vogel, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Los Angeles Lakers @Lakers

Thank you, Coach. pic.twitter.com/8eb4Ia9ZqI

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the coach had coached his final game with the team, although he wasn't notified of the decision.

After the overtime win over the Denver Nuggets, Vogel told reporters that he was going to enjoy the game.

The Lakers finished the year with a 33-49 record.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse and Michigan coach Juwan Howard are considered potential replacements for Vogel.

Howard interviewed for the position before moving to the college ranks, where he has led the Wolverines to a Sweet 16 and Elite Eight appearance in three years. He was a teammate of Rob Pelinka at the University of Michigan and an NBA teammate of King James.

Nurse has spent four years with the Raptors, winning one title while being named the league's NBA Coach of the Year in 2019.

The new head coach will look to improve upon the performance of his predecessor, who went 127-98 over three years with the Lakers.

The Los Angeles Clippers had not made the playoffs in six years before hiring Frank Vogel, but he turned things around quickly and earned the top seed in the Western Conference. The Lakers won their 17th title in franchise history after dominating the playoffs within the Florida bubble.

The success did not continue over the next two years, as the team fell to seventh in the West last season with a 42-30 record. The squad was defeated by the Phoenix Suns.

After falling to 11th in the conference this year, the organization decided it was time for a coaching change.

He has a 250-181 regular-season record with the Lakers, Pacers and Magic.