Report: Lakers to talk Frank Vogel contract extension after season

Frank Vogel came to the Lakers with the reputation as a defense-first coach. Last season, the Lakers had the third-best defense in the NBA, and it helped propel them to an NBA title. This season the Lakers have had the statistically best defense in the NBA — and that has been sixth-best in the 18 games since LeBron James went out with a sprained ankle; most of those games were played without Anthony Davis as well.

Vogel has the Lakers playing good team defense, and he has forged a strong working relationship with LeBron James. And, he won a ring.

That’s likely will lead to a contract extension in the offseason, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said on air before the Lakers fell to the Mavericks Saturday (hat tip Bleacher Report).

“The Lakers, I’m told, plan to initiate contract extension talks with Frank Vogel this offseason,” Wojnarowski told show host Maria Taylor.

Vogel got the Lakers’ job in part because he was willing to accept a three-year contract, which is a year or two less than the standard NBA head coach contract. The Lakers had interest in now Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, but with his experience and resume he would not accept a three-year deal, nor would he hire Jason Kidd (his potential replacement) as a lead assistant. Vogel met the Lakers’ demands.

The Lakers wanted to keep their coaching options open, depending on how the LeBron/Davis pairing worked and LeBron’s long-term plans. Now that everything is working — at least when the Lakers are healthy — Los Angeles plans to keep Vogel around.