As strange as the Los Angeles Lakers’ coaching situation looks, LeBron James is in familiar territory. Though, that may not be a good thing for Frank Vogel, the new head coach in LA. The Lakers made waves on Saturday when the team hired Vogel along with assistant coach Jason Kidd. By hiring both coaches, L.A. has set up an immediate opportunity for a problematic power dynamic. Vogel won’t have the normal powers of a typical head coach while Kidd will have a significant amount of power for a non-head-coach, according to ESPN. While the situation sounds odd, LeBron has actually played under a very similar dynamic when he joined the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014, as noted by ESPN. David Blatt, then Cleveland’s head coach, worked with Ty Lue, the associate head coach. After mixed results with that setup, Lue supplanted Blatt. Ultimately, LeBron began to tune out Blatt, instead looking to Lue for coaching. That was a major reason why Lue received a promotion and Blatt got fired. And perhaps knowing how tenuous those dual-coaching positions can be for the head coach, Lue rejected the Lakers’ coach offer this offseason, as he was unhappy with the terms which included the collaborative effort with Kidd. Lue knows how tricky that coaching dynamic can be. Instead, Vogel has stepped into that vulnerable position with Kidd. LeBron can be quick to lose respect for his coaches, and Vogel’s track record of success is complicated. He was — at best — the Lakers’ third-best choice for this vacancy. That’s after two .300 seasons with the Orlando Magic. Before that, Vogel had success coaching the Indiana Pacers for six season, but LeBron’s Heat teams knocked Vogel’s team out of the playoffs in 2012 (six-game series), 2013 (seven games) and 2014 (six games). At least there weren’t any sweeps? It easy to imagine LeBron relating better to Kidd, much like James did when he worked with another player-turned-coach in Lue. And if James likes Kidd better than he likes Vogel, then it’s also easy to imagine the Lakers new coach struggling to get command of the Lakers like Blatt struggled to get respect in Cleveland. There are some major differences between a 2014 Blatt and a 2019 Vogel. Vogel is an experienced NBA coach who brought stability to Indiana in 2010, whereas Blatt had no NBA experience. He came to the United States with tremendous hype after dominating in Europe. Their resumes are quite different. Vogel will have to lean on his experience if he’s going to earn LeBron’s respect and maintain authority within a listing Lakers organization. But if history repeats itself, Vogel is in trouble.<doc-sep>As per Brian Windhorst, LeBron James didn't have a hand in the Lakers' selection of Frank Vogel as their next head coach. Just when it seemed as though the Lakers were in no rush to field a replacement to the outgoing Luke Walton, a series of dominoes fell into place forcing their decision. For one, Tyronn Lue talks broke down when the ex-Cavaliers' coach felt slighted by the 3-year contract he was offered, which in his mind insinuated that he was only a coveted entity so long as LeBron remained with the franchise. Jason Miller/Getty Images As a result of those talks breaking down, Lakers made arrangements for an interview with Vogel, which ultimately ended with him accepting the head coaching role, with Jason Kidd included on his support staff (as an associate coach). According to Brian Windhorst, none of these domino chips were enforced by a controlling LeBron James. "Anyone who erroneously believed James was influencing the coach hire can drop that notion," he wrote in an op-ed titled "All the challenges facing Frank Vogel, LeBron and the Lakers." Windhorst is a reputable source of inside scoop, I'll give him that. Mind you, I find it difficult to buy into that narrative without a little more exposition. Lue was clearly LeBron James' first choice. Given his position as a sworn Tyronn Lue ally, you can rest assured LeBron James providing us the details on how the recruitment process actually went down. [Via]<doc-sep>Those who have actually spent time around LeBron James, like former Cleveland Cavaliers general manager and current New Orleans Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin, all suggest that assumptions the three-time champion wields undue influence over his franchise, front office, and coach are wildly overstated. Still, that didn’t stop someone from taking to Frank Vogel’s Wikipedia page on Saturday to continue pushing that misleading, and amusing, narrative. After reports surfaced that the Los Angeles Lakers hired Vogel as the team’s new head coach, the “career history” stats on his Wikipedia page was changed from “Los Angeles Lakers” to “Lebrons puppet,” misspelled and all. Thanks to former NFL offensive lineman Olin Kreutz, currently of The Score, for the screenshot. Wiki still undefeated 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/Qfgi7wUfWB — Olin kreutz (@olin_kreutz) May 11, 2019 Funny! Frank Vogel agreed to a three-year contract to become the Lakers’ new head coach. His most recent job was with the Orlando Magic, who he guided to a 54-110 win-loss record over two seasons before being dismissed last spring. The 45-year-old is best known for his time with the Indiana Pacers at the top of the decade. He led Indiana to playoff appearances in five of his six seasons with the team, including back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals berths in 2013 and 2014 – a pair of hard-fought series both won by LeBron James and the Miami Heat. Also joining the Los Angeles coaching staff is Jason Kidd, who will be Vogel’s top assistant. Inducted to the Hall of Fame as a player last year, Kidd has previous experience as a head coach with the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets. After retiring in 2014, he was immediately hired as Brooklyn’s coach despite not having any prior experience on the sidelines. Kidd moved onto Milwaukee after just one season with the Nets, helping the Bucks to the playoffs in his first three seasons before being fired in January of last year. The Lakers fired Luke Walton last month after three years with the team. They reportedly had an agreement in place with former Cleveland Cavaliers Tyronn Lue last week, but it fell through in part due to the team’s insistence that Kidd have a role on his staff.<doc-sep>Dave McMenamin breaks down how he expects LeBron James to respond to the Lakers' hiring Frank Vogel and if there's potential for any issues with the hire. (1:04) NBA coaching hires typically fit into two categories of power profile: strong or weak. There are also generally two kinds of general managers working in the league: those who make decisions aimed at keeping their jobs and those who are determined to do things their way, even if it comes with the risk of failure. Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka made it clear which type of executive he wants to be in hiring head coach Frank Vogel, who made it clear where he falls on the coaching power spectrum. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Pelinka got Vogel to take a three-year deal, and Vogel agreed to take on Jason Kidd as lead assistant coach. In the wake of Magic Johnson's exit from the team, this move establishes Pelinka as a powerful voice in the Lakers' organization. How long he'll keep that spot will perhaps be shaped by this choice. Vogel wanted the Lakers' job more than he wanted the power. Ty Lue, who rejected Pelinka's terms earlier this week, valued control more than he wanted this gig. Editor's Picks Will Frank Vogel's basketball formula work with the Lakers? Next moves for the Lakers: AD trade priorities and star free agents 1 Related This very well could be a sliding doors moment. There are big names, a big job and a legacy franchise involved. This result could go any direction. It could be the basis of a turnaround. It could be a disaster. Lue's passing on the job could end up being prudent. Or it could end up being a mistake. Let's get four things out of the way here: Anyone who erroneously believed LeBron James was influencing the coach hire can drop that notion. Pelinka's process has put Vogel in a challenging position. Vogel has excelled in a challenging position before. Until we see how the lottery and NBA draft play out -- and then see what the Lakers do with their $35 million in salary-cap space -- it's hard to know how strongly the Lakers will enter next season. The coaching hire was a huge step for Pelinka. No matter how it might be spun, Vogel was at least the third choice. But retrofitting the roster around James is far and away Pelinka's bigger job this offseason. James can work with various coaches. What he really wants is to have a winning team constructed. This wasn't the cleanest process, and it didn't exactly inspire confidence. Vogel has allies in the league, but he is not a classic free-agent draw. For Pelinka to give Vogel any chance, he's going to need major lottery luck or a much more executable plan for free agency than he had for the coaching hire. Frank Vogel, left, coached LeBron James at the 2014 All-Star Game, and now he'll do it with the Lakers. Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images The history of coaches with powerful assistants succeeding is spotty. For example, this is similar to the position in which the Cleveland Cavaliers put David Blatt in 2014. The Cavs made Blatt, a coach with success on his résumé but limited power because he didn't have NBA experience, take Lue as his lead assistant. Lue had interviewed for the Cavs' job. The team liked him and wanted to pair the two together. There were some other dynamics also at play, including ownership and the front office disagreeing on the hire. Blatt didn't walk in with James' respect. James felt more of a connection to the former player who sat next to Blatt. Within weeks, it was clear James preferred to deal with Lue over Blatt, and it set the stage for Lue to eventually replace Blatt. LeBron and the Lakers What's next for the Lakers? • Lakers hire Frank Vogel • How the Lakers wasted Year 1 of LeBron • Magic decided it's better just to be Magic • Lowe: LeBron vs. MJ implications Vogel has a real track record as a head coach in the NBA, especially his five seasons as head coach of the Indiana Pacers. Nonetheless, James and his Miami Heat team repeatedly beat Indiana in the playoffs. Although Vogel and the Pacers played James and the Heat tough, Miami never really feared them. In Orlando, Vogel had a disappointing and forgettable two years and was fired. Vogel will come into the season with Kidd, one of the runners-up for the job, on his hip. James has long respected Kidd, and they won a gold medal together at the 2008 Olympics. Kidd was a veteran presence on the "Redeem Team" that year, and that experience largely shaped James as he was learning to be a leader. He won his first Most Valuable Player Award the next season. Regardless of how James feels about his head coach, there is no way his respect for Vogel will match the level of his respect for Kidd -- at least not right away. How could it? James will naturally be connected to Kidd because of their relationship and Kidd's success in the league playing both against and with James. But Vogel has been here before. He was in as weak of a position as any coach when he was named a midseason interim in Indiana in 2011. Few believed Vogel was more than a substitute teacher put in place to finish that season. But he took over for Jim O'Brien and stunned the league with his confidence and leadership. His ability to corral and inspire a headstrong group of players that included David West, Paul George, Roy Hibbert and George Hill was commendable. When the Pacers let him go, he was hired by the Magic within days. There is no question that Vogel can impress in an interview. He's one of the refugees of the video room, where great coaches such as Erik Spoelstra and Mike Budenholzer started their careers, and that has earned him a reputation for being a good tactician.<doc-sep>
Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press LeBron James reportedly didn't have a say in the Los Angeles Lakers' hiring of new head coach Frank Vogel. According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, "Anyone who erroneously believed James was influencing the coach hire can drop that notion." The Lakers had a fascinating coaching search. The team's first two candidates, Monty Williams and Tyronn Lue, decided against taking the job. Williams was hired by the Phoenix Suns, while Lue reportedly turned down a deal in the range of three years and $18 million, per Adrian Wojnarowski and Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Per that report, "Lue's camp was seeking a five-year deal with a salary commensurate with a championship resume." Lue was reportedly a "preferred choice" for James after he served as the head coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers in James' second tenure with the organization. The Lakers reportedly wanted Lue to take on Jason Kidd as an assistant coach, and per Wojnarowski and McMenamin, "It isn't believed that Lue had objections to Kidd joining his staff, but the two had not discussed the possibility directly." But Windhorst added that Lue "valued control more than he wanted this gig" with the Lakers. So instead, Vogel was hired, agreeing to have Kidd—a former head coach himself—on his staff. That could fuel speculation that Vogel is just buying time for Kidd to become the head coach, much as David Blatt was replaced in Cleveland by Lue, who was an assistant on his staff. Per Windhorst: "Regardless of how James feels about his head coach, there is no way his respect for Vogel will match the level of his respect for Kidd—at least not right away. How could it? James will naturally be connected to Kidd because of their relationship and Kidd's success in the league playing both against and with James." Video Play Button McCollum and the Blazers Snapped Postseason Losing Streak for "Jennifer" Stars Invest in Plant-Based Food as Vegetarianism Sweeps NBA The NBA Got Some Wild Techs This Season Jarrett Allen Is One of the NBA’s Hottest Rim Protectors Wade's Jersey Swaps Created Epic Moments This Season Westbrook Makes History While Honoring Nipsey Hussle Devin Booker Makes History with Scoring Tear 29 Years Ago, Jordan Dropped Career-High 69 Points Bosh Is Getting His Jersey Raised to the Rafters in Miami Steph Returns to Houston for 1st Time Since His Moon Landing Troll Lou Williams Is Coming for a Repeat of Sixth Man of the Year Pat Beverley Has the Clippers Stealing the LA Shine LeBron Keeps Shredding NBA Record Books Young's Hot Streak Is Heating Up the ROY Race with Luka LeBron and 2 Chainz Form a Superteam to Release a New Album Wade's #OneLastDance Dominated February Warriors Fans Go Wild After Unforgettable Moments with Steph Eight Years Ago, the Nuggets Traded Melo to the Knicks Two Years Ago, the Kings Shipped Boogie to the Pelicans ASG Will Be Competitive Again If the NBA Raises the Stakes Right Arrow Icon But if James indeed has no say on the head coach, any preferences between Kidd and Vogel won't matter. What will matter is if general manager Rob Pelinka fails to land a major star or two to pair with James next season. Pelinka has made his first major decision without former team president Magic Johnson. It's the decisions to come, however, that will define James' time in Los Angeles.