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Report: Quin Snyder Less Interested in Lakers HC Job Due to Handling of Vogel Firing
April 12, 2022
The Los Angeles Lakers are searching for a new head coach after firing Frank Vogel on Monday following a disastrous season, but at least one potential replacement reportedly isn't very interested in the job.
Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder, who has been rumored to be a potential candidate, is "less interested" in becoming the next Lakers head coach because of how the franchise handled Vogel's firing, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.
Following the Lakers' 146-141 overtime win against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the franchise intended to fire Vogel on Monday. The 48-year-old was asked about the report after the game.
"I haven't been told s--t," Vogel said. "I'm going to enjoy tonight's game and celebrate what these young guys did in terms of scratching and clawing and getting back in this game and getting a W. We'll deal with tomorrow tomorrow."
Snyder has been head coach of the Jazz since 2014-15, and he has led the franchise to the playoffs in each of the last six seasons. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Utah wants to extend his contract (h/t RealGM):
"Included in my recent reporting about Quin is that the Jazz have tried to extend him further. They have offered him an extension beyond the one or two years left on his current deal and based on my reporting, he has not accepted that extension yet. I don't know if he's completely ruled it out, but to this point, Utah's efforts to extend him further, the key word further, Quin has not acted upon that yet.
"I think that is what has led some of the discussion and sparked some of the hope from some of the other teams interested in him, that maybe he's the one who wants to move on after a pretty long and successful run in Utah."
Snyder was a Lakers assistant under Mike Brown during the 2011-12 campaign.
Vogel led the Lakers to the NBA title in 2019-20. He was 127-98 in the regular season and 18-9 in the playoffs. Some have gone as far as to say Vogel was a scapegoat for the team's issues.
The Purple and Gold entered the 2021-22 season with high expectations after a first-round playoff exit in 2020-21. However, the acquisition of Russell Westbrook failed miserably, and injuries to LeBron James and Anthony Davis didn't help.
Whomever takes over as the next head coach will certainly have their hands full. Toronto Raptors bench boss Nick Nurse and Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers have been mentioned as potential targets.