Lakers Rumors: Lionel Hollins Hired as Assistant Coach on Frank Vogel's Staff

The Los Angeles Lakers hired Lionel Hollins as an assistant coach to work under head coach Frank Vogel, according to ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Hollins spent seven seasons in charge of the Memphis Grizzlies and lasted a year and a half as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets. He compiled a 262-272 record during that span and led his teams to the postseason on four occasions.

The Lakers formally announced Vogel's hiring on May 13 and made Jason Kidd the first addition to the coaching staff. According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, Kidd is the NBA's highest-paid assistant coach.

Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com noted Los Angeles "want[s] assistant coaches with head-coaching experience on the front bench." From that perspective, bringing Kidd and Hollins aboard makes sense.

Unlike Kidd, Hollins' arrival doesn't create any unnecessary drama. Many questioned the Lakers' decision to hire Kidd since he interviewed for the head-coaching vacancy. Whether fair or not, fans wondered whether Kidd will eventually make a power play similar to the one he tried with the Nets.

Hollins, on the other hand, was one of the Lakers' early targets to replace Luke Walton but never received a formal interview, per the Los Angeles Times' Tania Ganguli.

Still, some will argue the Lakers are going overboard with their preference for experienced coaches.

Silver Screen & Roll's Harrison Faigen noted Vogel, Kidd and Hollins all specialize in defense, too. After finishing 24th in offensive rating (107.4), per NBA.com, the team will need to ensure it has a voice on the staff to address that concern.

Of course, the construction of the coaching staff may not make much of a difference if Los Angeles fails to significantly strengthen the roster this summer.