The Golden State Warriors officially announced the hiring of former Los Angeles Lakers championship coach Frank Vogel as associate head coach on September 18, 2026, bringing a high-profile defensive mind to Steve Kerr’s staff after a disappointing 37-45 season.
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“Welcome to the Bay, Frank Vogel,” the Warriors’ official Instagram post read on September 18, 2026. “Coach Vogel joins the Warriors’ staff as Associate Head Coach after two seasons with the Dallas Mavericks. Most recently serving as the team’s lead assistant coach for the 2025-26 season.”
While the Bay Area hasn’t seen many marquee roster additions this offseason, this major staff shake-up was designed to directly fix a defense that crumbled during last year’s injury crisis.
Injuries to Stephen Curry (runner’s knee), Jimmy Butler (torn ACL), and Moses Moody (torn patellar tendon) decimated the roster last season, leaving the Warriors as a No. 10 seed. Kerr’s frequent lineup shuffles failed to restore cohesion, exposing depth limitations even with former DPOY Draymond Green anchoring the frontcourt.
With limited flexibility to acquire elite guards this offseason, Dunleavy and Kerr hired Vogel to lead defensive efforts, replacing the void left by departing assistants Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse. The 53-year-old coach’s resume makes a compelling case for the role. Over 25 years, Vogel served 12 as head coach across the Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic, LA Lakers, and Phoenix Suns.
Vogel captured the 2020 NBA championship with the Lakers and led the Pacers to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals appearances in 2013 and 2014, prompting fans to view the hire as a major win.
“Great hire,” wrote one fan on social media. “That’s the best pickup this team has completed in the last 5 years,” echoed another. “Best move all offseason,” agreed a third.
According to a recent Mercury News segment, Vogel told the Bay Area News Group that he intends to take his “battle scars and all the knowledge” from his quarter-century in the league to San Francisco. He will run the defense and assist Kerr on offense if needed, a defensive coordinator role that fills a crucial void for Golden State.
“That’s a good hire; he can strengthen the defenses,” agreed a fan. “He’s a defensive specialist. We need that and possibly Steve’s successor,” added another.
Vogel joins a team that re-signed Green, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford while adding depth pieces in Yaxel Lendeborg, Georges Niang, Charles Bassey, and Brandon Williams. However, with an aging core and lingering injury risks, some supporters argued that roster additions were needed more than a new assistant.
“Okay hire, but what about some players?” stated one fan. Another reiterated: “You are missing players, bro, not a coach.”
With a 113.8 offensive rating (19th overall) in the 2025-26 season, the Warriors’ offensive struggles were evident, especially without Curry. Some critics blamed GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. for failing to secure scoring help rather than addressing the defense.
“Is Vogel going to share the scoring load with Curry? Where is the trade? Mike Dunleavy Jr. has failed,” wrote one frustrated fan. Another added: “Good signing, can we now fire Kerr and Dunleavy?”
Vogel, with his proven championship pedigree, is unlikely to be deterred by such criticism. This is the same coach who has worked with Paul Pierce in Boston, Paul George in Indiana, and the Luka Doncic-Kyrie Irving duo in Dallas. In his statement to the Bay Area News Group, Vogel outlined his commitment to supporting Kerr.
“My number one job right now is obviously to lend my experience and give insight,” Vogel said. “But whatever I can take off his plate so he can really focus on the task at hand, I’m happy to do that.”
It will be intriguing to see how Vogel’s comments and fan reactions hold up as the Warriors prepare for their upcoming campaign.