Although the Los Angeles Lakers coaching search took a month, they hired former Indiana Pacers head coach Frank Vogel to replace former head coach Luke Walton.
During the team’s contract negotiations with former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue, the Lakers were adamant about choosing the head coach’s staff.
Since Vogel was hired, the Lakers have eventually added former Milwaukee Bucks head coach Jason Kidd along with former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins.
Now, the Lakers reportedly have received permission to interview Golden State Warriors assistant coach Ron Adams about a potential role on Vogel’s coaching staff, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN:
Reporting w/ @wojespn: The Lakers received permission from Golden State to talk to assistant Ron Adams about a role on Frank Vogel's staff, league sources tell ESPN. It’s unclear Adams' level of interest but Lakers could make case more compelling with significant financial offer.
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) June 22, 2019
While there may be some concerns about having too many chefs in the kitchen, Vogel personally was not concerned when asked about it at his introductory press conference:
“I believe if you treat people with respect and do the job at the highest level, build an environment of positivity and collaboration, you can’t worry about that stuff,” Vogel added. “You can’t worry about looking over your shoulder. You’ve got to worry about getting good coaches. That’s how I feel about this hire.”
Highlighted by Adams’ time with the Warriors, he is extremely well-respected around the league for his defensive philosophies. While it is unclear if the Lakers can sign Adams away from the Warriors, this is encouraging.
During Walton’s three seasons with the Lakers, one major criticism was his coaching staff. With not much experience, there were conflicting reports about Walton’s willingness to improve his staff before they mutually agreed to part ways.
As the Lakers are beefing up their coaching staff for the 2019-20 NBA season, Vogel reportedly has LeBron James’ respect which is a significant step in the right direction.
