'Fictional President' Lakers hires third choice coach and controversial assistant | Bleacher's report

LOS ANGELES – Frank Vogel was probably not the Lakers' first choice as a head coach, nor even their second choice.

For ESPN Lakers Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers hired Vogel for a three-year contract to replace Luke Walton, who left for the Sacramento Kings after Los Angeles' 37-win season had already sued Monty Williams, who had chose to join the Phoenix Suns, and Tyronn Lue, who had distanced himself from what he would have perceived as a lowball offer.

What you need to remember is not necessarily the coach the team has chosen to hire; it is he who specifically directed the research and formulated the final recommendation approved by the owner, Jeanie Buss. After all, there had been a emptiness of power that's formed after Earvin "Magic", president of basketball operations, resigned on the last day of the season.

According to a person familiar with the negotiations, it was not the managing director Rob Pelinka, but the main basketball adviser Kurt Rambis who orchestrated the hiring of Vogel. He has also made the move for Jason Kidd, who will be on the bench as an assistant coach.

When questioned, several leaders suggested that the Lakers ensure that their front-office hierarchy is well established before hiring a coach, which seems to be the case, with Rambis taking on this role.

One of the leaders even called the "ghost president" of the Lakers.

The team hired Rambis in September to work under Johnson and support the basketball operations and coaching staff of the team. His wife, Linda Rambis, is Buss's closest advisor as executive director of the Lakers special projects.

Call it the "trust triangle" of Buss, Rambis and Rambis. It does not appear that the team is likely to replace Johnson, as the organization has not held a press conference to explain its structure or future plans since its departure.

Neither do we know what LeBron James thinks of hiring, especially after the team's heated negotiations with his former Cleveland Cavaliers coach. Apart from Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat, only Lue has coached James to an NBA championship. The Lakers obviously need their star player to register in the Vogel system, so this is something to watch over the coming year.

At Kidd, the team adds an obvious mentor to Lonzo Ball.

Kidd was one of the best leaders of his time. Like Ball, he also preferred to get help instead of one point. Kidd is also a former teammate of James, but with the United States team. By contrast, Kyrie Irving grew up in New Jersey, where Kidd was an All-Star leader with the Nets.

Kidd is a controversial hiring. In 2014, he broke one of the standard coaching protocols, pressuring for another man's position while he was still employed, eventually replacing Larry Drew at the same time. Milwaukee Bucks head coaching position.

At the time, Howard Beck of Bleacher Report wrote: "Kidd has just trampled on any notion of professional decency with his brazen power play in Brooklyn and his clumsy escape to Milwaukee."

But Vogel is the main coach, so the Kidd story should not be such an important factor, right?

This could be a "disaster," said the executive. "Kidd as an assistant is what worries me the most," essentially suggesting that Vogel must watch over his back.

Already so much drama, but what about Vogel as a coach?

After six rather successful seasons with the Indiana Pacers, he did not have much success with the Orlando Magic. The team won just 54 games in two years, but the lineup was not very good. That said, his replacement, Steve Clifford, led the Magic to 42 wins and a playoff spot over the past year.

"Frank was not a terrible trainer [with the Magic]"Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, who covered Vogel in Orlando, told Bleacher Report." Given the situation he inherited [former coach] Scott Skiles left suddenly and had to pick up the coins under a desperate window, he handled the situation very well. "

A year after the start of Vogel's tenure, the Magic left general manager Rob Hennigan to hire John Hammond in his place.

"Vogel was somehow doomed to change direction in Orlando," Kyler continued. "Even though he was appreciated by the top officials, he was the replica of a previous scheme that really wanted his own guy.There was never any negativity on the part of the players on Vogel." In fact, most veteran players liked it calm attitude. "

Kyler said, "Even though his team was strong in defense, he was neither too creative nor inventive on the offensive, and at the end of the match things would go on in isolation, and some players would come back as favorites their production. "

The Lakers have one of the best individual scorers in James' game. Now they have a coach. What they need next is stability.

The franchise still plans to have the salary space to sign a maximum free agent, be it Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler or Irving. The pelicans of New Orleans have yet to decide the fate of star player Anthony Davis, who requested an exchange earlier in the year.

The present can make fans vibrate, but a "yes" of a leading free-agent, and the Lakers could finally return to the playoffs after an absence of six seasons.

Email Eric Pincus to [email protected] and follow him on Twitter. @EricPincus.