After failing to qualify for the Play-In Tournament or NBA Playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers announced on Monday that they have fired head coach Frank Vogel.
The news was first reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski just moments after the Lakers' final game of the season on Sunday and it was confirmed by the team the following day.
Thank you, Coach. pic.twitter.com/8eb4Ia9ZqI
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 11, 2022
NBA LEAGUE PASS: Sign up to unlock live out-of-market games (7-day free trial)
Vogel served as head coach in Los Angeles for three seasons, accruing a 127-98 record while leading the Lakers to the playoffs twice. Most notably, Vogel was at the helm of Los Angeles' NBA championship in 2020.
As the Lakers move on from Vogel and look for his replacement, there is one name in particular that has stood out from the pack so far.
MORE: Ranking Lakers' 10 best coaching candidates to replace Vogel
According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse is "among the franchise's top targets for the position."
This shouldn't come as a surprise, considering Nurse has been one of the best coaches in the NBA since taking over the Raptors in 2018-19. Leading Toronto to its first championship in franchise history in his debut season as a head coach, the former Coach of the Year has the experience and pedigree the Lakers are searching for in Vogel's successor.
"It’s unclear whether he will be attainable or whether he would have interest, but the Lakers are hoping the former Coach of the Year is an option with the allure of coaching James and Davis and the appeal of the Los Angeles market," Charania wrote in his story on the Lakers' interest in Nurse.
Charania also pointed out two key things about the Lakers' hopes of signing Nurse: one, the Raptors would have to give Los Angeles permission to interview Nurse and two, he would likely have to be acquired by trade.
Nurse signed a multi-year contract extension with the Raptors in 2020 and still has two more years left on his deal. (It's also worth noting that Nurse just signed a contract extension this past August to remain head coach of Canada Men's Basketball's National Team through 2024.)
The Lakers don't have many valuable assets available for trade and after coming off of the most disappointing season in the NBA this year, it's hard to believe Nurse would elect to leave his current situation in Toronto.
Nurse has led the Raptors to the playoffs in three out of his four seasons as head coach and with a young and talented core in place, the best is yet to come for this Toronto team.
The Lakers will try and pry him away from the Raptors, but there has yet to be any sign of mutual interest.
According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, the Lakers are looking to find a head coaching replacement before the 2022 NBA Draft in mid-June, so there will be more developments on that vacancy in the coming weeks.
