The Dallas Mavericks are expected to add Frank Vogel as their lead assistant coach, sources tell DallasHoopsJournal.com. The move will formally reunite the former NBA head coach with Jason Kidd after the two won a championship together with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
Vogel, 51, replaces Sean Sweeney, who left the Mavericks to become the associate head coach of the San Antonio Spurs. The move comes after Vogel spent the 2024–25 season in Dallas as a coaching consultant, a role he assumed while still drawing salary from a previous contract with the Phoenix Suns.
Now stepping into a formal position on Kidd’s bench, Vogel adds more than two decades of NBA coaching experience to a staff that already includes several veteran voices. He brings a résumé that features a championship run with the Lakers, two Eastern Conference Finals appearances with the Indiana Pacers, and head coaching stints with four NBA franchises.
Vogel was head coach of the Suns during the 2023–24 season, guiding the team to a 49-33 record and a first-round playoff exit before being fired. He originally signed a five-year, $31 million deal with Phoenix and is still owed approximately $24 million under the terms of that agreement. His consultant role in Dallas allowed the Mavericks to utilize his expertise without affecting that payout, but the transition to a full-time assistant may alter the financial arrangement.
Before his lone season in Phoenix, Vogel spent three years with the Lakers, leading them to a championship in 2020 while Kidd served as his top assistant. The two have maintained a close working relationship and will now switch roles in Dallas, with Kidd as head coach and Vogel taking on the associate head coach title.
Vogel also served as head coach of the Pacers from 2011 to 2016, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in back-to-back seasons. His earlier coaching background includes assistant roles with the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, and Pacers, where he first established his reputation as a defensive-minded tactician.
The Mavericks have continued to reshape their coaching staff following a 2024–25 campaign marked by a midseason roster overhaul and a push to return to contention in the Western Conference. With Vogel now officially on board, Dallas adds one of the most experienced assistant coaches in the league.
The Mavericks filled their other top assistant role by filling a vacancy caused by Alex Jensen’s departure to the University of Utah by hiring veteran coach Jay Triano, who most recently served as an assistant with the Sacramento Kings. He previously served as a head coach for the Toronto Raptors and Phoenix Suns.
There is still uncertainty regarding No. 3 assistant coach Jared Dudley, who has drawn strong interest from the Denver Nuggets for a promotion. He also interviewed with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Memphis Grizzlies earlier this offseason, making it realistic that he departs for a larger role.
Vogel’s presence is expected to bring added defensive structure and playoff experience to a team that struggled at times with consistency last season. His championship history and familiarity with Kidd could prove pivotal as Dallas enters a new phase of its competitive window.
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