Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel will have a new lead assistant for the 2021-22 season after Jason Kidd was hired to be the next head coach of the Dallas Mavericks. It was expected that Kidd would be accepting a head coaching position somewhere after he wound up being one of the most sought-after candidates on the market.
Now, Vogel will have to replace one or more of his assistant coaches but absolutely has time to make those decisions.
Kidd can now start to build a staff to help maximize the talent surrounding 22-year old superstar Luka Doncic. Despite some dysfunction in the organization, there are very few players better equipped to begin a championship-contending roster.
Vogel gave a statement regarding Kidd’s departure from the Lakers, saying that the former lead assistant will be missed in L.A., according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN:
Lakers coach Frank Vogel, to ESPN, on Jason Kidd becoming the Mavs head coach: “Jason has been a big part of the culture we have built over the last two years and he will be missed. But, I am thrilled for him to get the opportunity to be a head coach again! It’s well deserved!”
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) June 25, 2021
It’s remarkable to see the change in dynamic between two years ago and today. When Vogel and Kidd were hired, it felt almost like a foregone conclusion that Kidd would eventually replace Vogel as the Lakers head coach. However, Vogel proved his abilities, leading the Lakers to a championship in his first year.
Vogel finally became recognized as the defensive genius he’s been for over a decade in the NBA. Now, he’ll simply need to pick replacements that can help him maximize the team’s offensive capabilities. This is usually where Vogel falls short as a coach.
LeBron James reacts to Kidd hiring
Vogel was not the only one to have a bittersweet sentiment surrounding Kidd’s departure. Lakers star LeBron James took to Twitter shortly after the news broke to say that he was happy for Kidd, but sad to lose him on the Lakers bench.
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