Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal blame Lakers front office for team’s poor results

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The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the most talked about NBA teams in 2021-22 due to their average performance in the first half of the season.

Comments on the current situation in Los Angeles range from suppressing the Lakers’ chances in this year’s title chase to giving them a playoff advantage due to the roster’s vast experience. The talk has intensified in recent days amid head coach Frank Vogel’s possible firing rumors and Russell Westbrook’s critical time in the loss to the Indiana Pacers.

TNT analyst Charles Barkley commented on the last two talking points, saying he thinks Vogel and Westbrook have been unfairly blamed for many of the team’s problems, via NBA on TNT:

“I just mean, I never root because I don’t care who wins. I just want the season to be over so we can go golf and fish. But the Lakers suck so bad. And I say just wussies because I can’t say the word I want to say. The way they tried to throw Russell Westbrook and Frank Vogel under the bus really pisses me off. … I’m not gonna sit here like all those clowns on other networks that’s got the Lakers head up their ass. They’re blaming Frank Vogel and Russell Westbrook. Look, if the people upstairs who are collecting this trash are running and hiding like cowards saying, ‘Oh, That’s Frank”. That’s Russ. You put all those old geezers out there, listen, the best guy other than LeBron last month was who? Stanley Johnson. the street, and he becomes your second-best player, the general manager, or whoever runs that trash can over there. we’re not going. It’s ridiculous, man.

Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal partly agreed that the franchise’s front office should be to blame for the team’s poor results. However, O’Neal believes Westbrook’s flaws have hurt Los Angeles this season:

“Russ is not playing up to par. I think he knows; we’re not trying to hit it. I think Russ is at the point where he doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do or how he’s supposed to do it anymore. He doesn’t really shoot the ball well and averages four turnovers.

“I agree with everything Chuck said. Rob Pelinka put this team together. He should definitely take responsibility and definitely make some moves. When you have an old star, you want to rejuvenate. You don’t want to add a bunch of old guys next to him. They’re in eighth place, so they haven’t come out of that yet.

Westbrook is scoring 18.5 points per game this season, his lowest average since the 2009-10 campaign. The 2017 NBA MVP is also adding 8.0 rebounds and 7.8 assists per night.

Vogel explains benching Westbrook in Lakers loss to Pacers

Following the 111-104 loss to the Pacers, Vogel briefly explained why he knocked Westbrook off the field four minutes before the end of the game.

“Playing the guys that I thought were going to win the game,” the head coach said.

Vogel’s call to the Westbrook bench was reportedly the subject of internal discussions among Lakers management, who backed the head coach’s decision.

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