Frank Vogel was the coach of the LA Lakers when they won the 2020 NBA championship inside the bubble. However, Vogel was fired at the end of last season after the Lakers failed to make the playoffs.
According to the latest NBA rumors, Vogel was interviewed by the Houston Rockets for their head coaching vacancy. The Rockets did not take up the option on Stephen Silas’s contract, creating a vacancy for their coaching staff.
Kelly Iko of The Athletic first reported on Vogel’s interview on Twitter. Vogel hasn’t been signed by any team this season, but he looks set to return to the bench next season. He was with the Lakers for three seasons, compiling a 127-98 record.
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Frank Vogel is a defensive-minded coach, and his teams are never known for scoring in basketball. Vogel often gives his players freedom while demanding responsibility. He used a space-and-pace offense with the LA Lakers during his tenure, but the roster didn’t have enough shots to be successful.
Vogel began his coaching career as an assistant with the Boston Celtics in 2001. He was also an assistant coach with the Philadelphia 76ers and Indiana Pacers before landing his first head coaching job in 2011.
The 49-year-old led the Pacers to back-to-back Eastern Conference finals appearances. He was waived by Indiana six years later and signed with the Orlando Magic in 2016.
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Frank Vogel isn’t just the head coach on the Houston Rockets’ radar
Former LA Lakers coach Frank Vogel wasn’t the only candidate the Houston Rockets are considering. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that the Rockets are expected to interview at least eight coaches from across the league.
Wojnarowski noted that some of the candidates include current Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse, former Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka and former Charlotte Hornets coach James Borrego.
The Rockets are also interested in current Golden State Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson and Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin. Houston has a young roster, but hasn’t shown any significant improvement under Stephen Silas.
Nurse led the Raptors to their first NBA championship in 2019 and made the playoffs in three of his five years in charge. Meanwhile, Udoka helped the Celtics reach the NBA Finals last season, but his misconduct led to his suspension before being fired.
The Hornets reached back-to-back play-in tournaments under Borrego, while Atkinson has drawn suitors since last season. Atkinson was supposed to replace Borrego in Charlotte before pulling out at the last minute. Meanwhile, Griffin has no head coaching experience, but he is among the best assistants in the NBA.
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