The Los Angeles Lakers are the one seed in the Western Conference. Many people deserve credit for that feat. However, head coach Frank Vogel hasn't gotten enough of his fair share for what the Purple and Gold are doing this season.
There's always a bit of hesitation to crown a head coach of a LeBron James-led team as a great mind or doing a great job. At the same time, Vogel inherited an uncertain Lakers team.
It was James coupled with a bunch of young players who were mostly traded to the New Orleans Pelicans for Anthony Davis. How did general manager Rob Pelinka complement James and Davis? By bringing in a group of veteran players who used to be a vital source of a team's offense. This includes signing Avery Bradley, Danny Green, Dwight Howard and re-signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, JaVale McGee, and Rajon Rondo.
Let's focus on Howard and Rondo.
Howard, one of the best centers in NBA history, has been viewed by some as a lost cause. Rondo has been generally viewed as a player who requires the ball in his hands. How much chatter has there been surrounding these two fitting in or having a problem with their role in Vogel's rotation?
This was easily one of the most talented teams in the NBA, but there's always a bit of uncertainty when meshing a lot of veteran players who are accustomed to having the ball in their hands. This hasn't been a problem under Vogel's watch. Players have bought into the offense, complementing each other well, with no excuses made, and there have been close to no public issues.
The only hiccup was Kyle Kuzma's trainer posting on Instagram that he thinks Kawhi Leonard is better than LeBron James, which, frankly, is much ado about nothing.
The Lakers are an elite team on both ends of the floor. Offensively, they can slow the game down with two of the best players in the sport dominating in the halfcourt, playing inside and out. Their defense, though, is what stands out.
They went into Thursday third in the NBA in defensive net rating (105.8), fifth in opponent points per game (107.1), sixth in opponent field goal percentage (44.6 percent), and seventh in opponent three-point shooting percentage (34.6 percent). In his six seasons coaching the Indiana Pacers, Frank Vogel had a defensive-minded team. They slowed down high-octane offenses and were difficult to break down. The 2019-20 Lakers are a more high-profile version of Vogel's Pacers.
Most, if not every person who has coached LeBron James has been touted as a great head coach.
Mike Brown is a respected individual; Erik Spoelstra was applauded for the way he handled the Big Three's rough beginning with the Miami Heat (LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh); while he was fired a year and a half into the job with the Cleveland Cavaliers, David Blatt was viewed as a creative coach who just didn't work out in the NBA; Tyronn Lue was widely viewed as a bright mind.
If the aforementioned coaches are going to get credit for their success coaching James, then Vogel should be given the same due. One could argue he's doing a better job than all of them did.
Let's also not forgot how Vogel was welcomed to L.A. There were recurring reports that Tyronn Lue was the Lakers' top choice to succeed Luke Walton, who was relieved of his head coaching duties after the regular season. When the two sides didn't reach a deal, many names were mentioned. There were minimal, if any rumblings about Vogel getting the job.
Before getting the Lakers job, Vogel had a rough run with the Orlando Magic, where they struggled to develop young players and missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. He wasn't a sought-after commodity, so to speak.
A couple weeks later, the Lakers interviewed and ended up hiring Vogel. The introductory press conference was brutal. One reporter asked Pelinka “what went wrong in their coaching search” and talked about how the Lakers “settled” on Vogel. Pelinka and Vogel were sitting right next to each other.
Some felt Vogel was a lost cause, some felt he was overrated, and some felt he wasn't high-profile enough to be the Lakers head coach, where he'd be coaching the game's preeminent player. Vogel has squashed all doubt that surrounding his hire. He was clearly the right hire.
There's no negative conversation about James' relationship with his head coach, debate over whether Davis will leave the Lakers in free agency, or if they're doomed in the playoffs. When's the last time the first one has been the case?
When you go 47-13, coaching is part of it.
Yes, Frank Vogel has LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but it's not as if there aren't other electric, title contenders in the West.
The Denver Nuggets are a walking model of continuity headlined by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray; the Los Angeles Clippers have the prolific frontcourt duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George; the Houston Rockets have James Harden and Russell Westbrook; the Utah Jazz are an elite defensive unit led by Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert; when healthy, Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis are a tantalizing duo for the Dallas Mavericks.
You could consider the coaches of those teams, as well. Doc Rivers, Mike D'Antoni, Rick Carlisle, Mike Malone, and Quin Snyder are all respected, proven coaches.
Being at the top or even just one of the higher seeds in the West was anything but a given going into this season; the Lakers are rising above the pack.
Frank Vogel has gotten his NBA coaching career back on track and is doing a lot with a lot: which is easier said than done.
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