Why Frank Vogel was good hire for Warriors

The Warriors didn’t have an eye-popping offseason.

But they had an under-the-radar acquisition that could help them: They added Frank Vogel to their coaching staff as an assistant.

Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Frank Vogel looks on during a game against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center in Chicago, Jan. 10, 2026. Getty Images

Vogel is bright. He’s defensive-minded. He led the Lakers to an NBA championship in the 2020 bubble at Walt Disney World.

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When Steve Kerr (who won five championships as a player and four as coach) decided to return to Golden State’s helm this summer, he made it clear that the team and the coaching staff had some major areas in which they needed to improve.

Kerr added that he recently rewatched every turnover the Warriors committed last season. He believes they need to tighten the ship, bolster their decision-making and work on their fundamentals.

Vogel can help with all of that.

He’s known for transforming defenses. When he was the head coach of the Pacers from 2011-2016, he helped lead them to consecutive Eastern Conference finals in 2013 and 2014, in large part because of their discipline on the less glamorous side of the court.

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Kerr has long been one of the league’s top coaches. He has a great staff. They helped the Warriors become the league’s modern-day dynasty, winning four championships in eight years from 2015-2018.

But it’s clear the Warriors could use some fresh eyes, too.

And Vogel will be very helpful with that.

Since the Warriors won their last championship in 2022, they’ve struggled. They haven’t made it past the second round of the playoffs the last four seasons. In two of those seasons, they missed the postseason altogether.

As the team’s roster stands, there’s no delusions about whether they’ll be championship contenders this season. But there’s something beautiful in Kerr, Steph Curry and Draymond Green playing for each other, regardless of the outcome.

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That said, those are guys who have lived atop the league the last decade and are used to winning.

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, left, and assistant coach Frank Vogel look on…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/why-frank-vogel-good-hire-232501948.html

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Publish date : 2026-09-18 23:25:00

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