A fresh addition to head coach Steve Kerr's Golden State Warriors staff, Frank Vogel maintains that his relationship with LeBron James is strong.

The duo had a successful three years together in Los Angeles, winning the 2020 NBA championship in the bubble with the Lakers.

However, Vogel told the San Francisco Chronicle that, to his understanding, James coming to the Warriors was always a long shot.

After his last post as assistant to Jason Kidd with the Dallas Mavericks (2025-26), Vogel admitted an immediate return to the league wasn't particularly appealing. But when an opportunity to work with a superstar duo arises, it is hard to say no. That — along with persistent recruitment from Kerr — is the real reason behind his arrival in the Bay Area.

Vogel is a defensive specialist who saw a ton of potential in what the Warriors could still be, despite their aging roster. 

He brings experience dealing with star power, having coached the Paul George-led Indiana Pacers, the Lakers with LeBron and Anthony Davis, and the Phoenix Suns that featured Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. 

Vogel recognizes that any successful team requires full buy-in from its leaders — and a stroke of luck. He appears confident that he can get that from the likes of Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, who, despite being 38 and 36, respectively, are still as hungry as anybody to win.

And that's without mentioning Jimmy Butler, 37 — a defensive coach's dream — who is expected to return from a torn ACL around the turn of the calendar.

"Any team with Steph and Draymond can win," Vogel said. "They've just had injuries the last couple of years. That's the only reason. So, that starting point alone gives you confidence that you can win at a high level."

It's tough to say what the Warriors could have been last year if Butler had stayed healthy. Similar to the year prior, when Curry strained his hamstring in the Western Conference semifinals.

But one thing is for certain — though their margin for error is extremely small — when all that star power is on the floor together, they can still be a very dangerous proposition.

"It wasn't a fair fight for them the last couple of years," Vogel added. "Hopefully we have some health and some buy-in to a new defensive system that'll help us be great. If you can keep your head above water to start the season, those guys come back, now you become one of the most dangerous teams in the league. And you can have a very high ceiling." 

On paper, before any basketball has been played, Vogel to the Warriors looks like a solid match. Kerr's desire to bring Vogel on board is a testament to that, following a failed recruitment attempt in 2024.

Two years later, Vogel finally agreed to join Kerr on the Golden State bench. The defensive pedigree he brings can set the Warriors up with a strong foundation to build on — if executed correctly.

Vogel is excited about how this Warriors roster can fit into his schemes. One player he singled out is Kristaps Porzingis.

Vogel said that he likes to get the most out of shot-blocking bigs, and he is eager to put the 7-foot-2 Porzingis in spots where he can flourish.

Naturally, Green is expected to continue being the defensive anchor, and his support of Vogel's philosophy — starting on Day 1 of training camp on Sept. 29 — could prove pivotal to the Warriors' fortunes.