The coaching search is over and the Lakers finally have their man.
Or men, more accurately, as former Nets and Bucks head coach Jason Kidd came along as part of a package deal with Frank Vogel. Kidd will be as an assistant and will serve as a mentor to Lonzo Ball, whose game was compared to Kidd’s coming out of college. However, it didn’t take long for speculation to spread on social media that Kidd has his eyes on Vogel’s job.
The Lakers need a transformation, and we’ll find out quickly if Vogel can make it happen. He built a reputation in Indiana as a tough, defensive-minded coach who led the Pacers to five playoff appearances and two straight conference finals. His standing took a hit during two seasons in Orlando, where the Magic were never competitive or especially strong on defense.
The most important question for any Lakers coach, of course, is how does he look to LeBron James. LeBron’s coaches have very short tenures when they don’t win over his respect, with Luke Walton recently being added to the list. Vogel doesn’t have a prior relationship with James or with any of this year’s top free agents, so his hiring wasn’t designed to give L.A. an edge in rebuilding its roster.
Ben Golliver of The Washington Post speculates that the addition of Vogel could be on ongoing source of friction inside the Lakers’ management team. He reportedly received “mixed reviews” after his interview on Thursday, with team adviser Kurt Rambis as Vogel’s top advocate.
Golliver notes that three factors could limit Vogel’s time in his new position. James, who will turn 35 in December and is only committed to the team for two more years before he can opt out, expects to contend right away. However, the Lakers have a poor defense in place and no center on the current roster, while Vogel hasn’t coached a team with a better-than-average offense since 2012.
In addition, Vogel’s short contract will make him easy to part with if the organization decides things aren’t working, and Kidd will be there looking over his shoulder.
We want to get your opinion on the Lakers’ coaching search. Was Vogel the right choice? And will he get time to succeed or will Kidd eventually take over? Please leave your answers in the space below.
Kidd is already angling for the job I’m sure. Lakers are toxic. What a crap show.
Good Luck!
how do the laker youngens look-up to man that beat his wife and crashed his SUV while drunk.. ask jason kidd
It’s a job not an adoption agency. Take your drama to Oprah.
is it any better than a former head coach who supposedly fondled a media writer? are they getting any better?
“fondled”? He’s accused of more than that. Your characterization is disrespectful to the victim.
Your automatic belief of what are essentially unfounded allegations is absurd.
It is not James’s obligation to save doomed coaches or fight rash owners. And you don’t have to be James to understand what works with James.
Once Lebrun grows his media empire a little bit more he will demand a trade
What if Ball is traded like they have offered before? Kidd goes with him?
You know what, inevitably, the “owners” are passing the buck to James… He will wind up the decider, like it or not.
Too complicated
Better than Lue. Who cares Vogel didn’t win in Orlando? This was the first year in almost a decade they won anything. Vogel averaged 48 wins in Indy which really isn’t bad. He’s probably the best coach since Jackson
Great, so now Rob Lowe and the guy from Impractical Jokers work together on the Lakers.
Lakers really blew it by not offering Monty Williams a 5 year deal, period.
From an overall team stand point, Vogel is a better coach than Lue.
Kidd is a dumpster fire. Then again he’s a Rambii hire.
Lakers should trade Imgram for Simmons who’s already being mentored by LBJ. Make him the starting center. McGee as backup.
Sign Butler at SG to compliment LBJ on both ends of the floor.
New Big 3 of LBJ, Butler, Kuzma with Ball and Simmons dishing and slashing complimentary pieces.
Yes, Leonard would be ideal, IF.
Ok, it’s a warped view but would sure add another layer of drama.
Lol 6ers would never trade Simmons for Ingram keep dreaming bout that
Simmons is horrible
Really???
17/9/8 say otherwise!!!
Point is very valid on the Ingram numbers.
Point is he doesn’t mess well with LeBron.
Also Simmons is a very high IQ Center not a PG.
Capela 6’10 240, Simmons 6’10 235 and is light years better than Capela im that role.
Then the Lakers would have a true run and gun Showtime.
Would still trade straight up. If 76ers can be talked out of picks it’s a cherry on top.
I think it’s gonna be a great dynamic, Vogel has always needed a strong second in command when coaching to be successful. In Indiana, he played the good cop while Brian Shaw played the bad cop. Plus it will give Jason Kidd to get some more time to be seasoned rather than learn on the fly like he did with Milwaukee and Brooklyn.
You also have to look at what Vogel did with Indiana too, he took the exact same young before he got there and turned them into title contenders.
So I’ll give frank the benefit of the doubt before anything.
So many of you young fools believe everything you read.
Jason Kidd is a snake in the grass,take my word I mean take Milwaukee Bucks word.mr.vogel what have you gotten yourself into.
I don’t know who forced them to sign Kidd, but that’s was stupid. Atleast they hired an actual experienced head coach as the head coach though.