Frank Vogel has been hard since his hire as Lakers head coach. Vogel spoke with noted Laker fan, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated during Summer League about his preparation for the season. A very intriguing part of the conversation came about when Mannix asked about the style of play. Vogel did not get into the details about it, but he did lay out a framework for what he wanted to see from the team.
Vogel mentioned that he liked what he saw from the system that Luke Walton implemented. He liked how the Lakers defended, how they attacked the basket, and their pace. He also mentioned that he liked how the Lakers were a “top free-throw shooting team” (14th, but 29th in FT%). The main difference will be the utilization of space.
[..]to me it was about putting LeBron James in positions to try to play with space the way Giannis Antetokounmpo did with Brook Lopez being added as a three-point shooter, with what Kawhi Leonard was able to have in Toronto with Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka at the center position
The Lakers famously spent their 2018 offseason signing playmakers. The following offseason, they focused on their major weakness: shooting. As a team that was 29th in both 3 point % and FT%, bringing in shooters and spacing out the floor can yield successful outcomes. The additions of shooters like Danny Green, Troy Daniels, and Quinn Cook will allow the Lakers some scoring beyond the arc.
That formula worked out for James in the past, en route to 8 finals. With this change in style, Vogel can help bring the Lakers back to the post-season once again.
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