After being fired by the Suns in the spring, Frank Vogel is working with the Mavericks as a coaching consultant, head coach Jason Kidd said Wednesday, according to Marc Stein. Kidd referred to Vogel as “part of our coaching staff.”
“It took a lot of begging,” the Mavs’ head coach joked, “but he was talked into it and I’m happy he said yes.”
It’s a reversal of roles for Kidd and Vogel, who previously worked together in Los Angeles. Kidd was an assistant on Vogel’s staff with the Lakers for two years from 2019-21 before accepting Dallas’ job three years ago. The two men won a title together with the Lakers in 2020.
Vogel still had four seasons left on the five-year contract worth a reported $31M that he received from Phoenix in 2023, so he’s still getting pay checks from the Suns and didn’t have to rush into another job. Still, consulting for the Mavs will give him a chance to work with a colleague he’s comfortable with and to have a role with the reigning Western Conference champions.
In addition to having coached the Suns and Lakers, Vogel also had previous head-coaching stints in Orlando and Indiana. Before that, he worked as an assistant for the Pacers, Sixers and Celtics.