With training camp about to start, Frank Vogel took some time to sit down and discuss the upcoming season with 8 Points, 9 Seconds.
We chatted about the loss of Paul George, Roy Hibbert’s offseason training with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, George Hill’s changing role on offense, the team’s new shooters, the expectation for Rodney Stuckey, Vogel’s fishing abilities, and the coach’s partnership with Dove Men + Care “Easy Decision” campaign.
Jalen Bishop: What’s happening at the Dove’s Men’s + Care event today?
Frank Vogel: You may have seen the commercial with the one huge decision that was going about during March Madness, and now they have another sponsorship with ESPN fantasy football. They got a situation set up where fantasy owners can log in to a chat room and chat with ESPN fantasy football experts to help them to with their easier decisions on their roster moves each week. It’s part of the “Easy Decision” campaign, and we’re helping to promote it.
Bishop: How was your summer?
Vogel: I’ve had better summers in terms of my roster . We had some tough losses with Lance going to Charlotte and Paul going down with an injury. Personally, I had a great summer.
“I don’t think we can be the same defensive team without Paul George. Paul George is just a gifted guy that has versatility that no one else in the league has … Not having him is gonna weaken us defensively. We’re not blind to that.” – Frank Vogel
Bishop: I don’t know if you keep up with Paul George’s Instagram but he posts a ton of fishing photos. Brian Shaw recently went on a trip with him. Have you went with Paul yet?
Vogel: I have not gone fishing with Paul. I’ve been out to the house, but I’m not a big fisherman.
Bishop: You guys are known playing your starting five most of games. Do you still aim to have a defined starting group that plays together a lot or will their be more flexibility given all the options with the new acquisitions?
Vogel: I think ideally to bring stability to your rotation is something that is a strength, and I think your roster has to be set up to do that. I’m not sure our roster is set up to do that this year.
It’s going to be one of those situations where we’ll have to see it play out, but I don’t think we’re going to be in a situation where we’re gonna have 20-25 different starting lineups throughout the course of the year. I think we’ll settle in on what we think is our best starting lineup. If we have to make adjustments throughout the way I’m sure we’ll do it.
“I definitely will be asking more of in terms of carrying the scoring load … With the absence of with Lance and Paul, his role is going to change dramatically.” – Frank Vogel
Bishop: What’s the plan with Rodney Stuckey? Is he going to be one of the primary ball-handlers in the pick-and-roll?
Vogel: Yeah, we’re definitely gonna put the ball in Rodney’s hands a bunch. He’s an electrifying scorer and playmaker and certainly gonna take advantage of that skill-set.
Bishop: With all the shooters you have on the team now, do we expect more 3s? Will those shooters open up space for Roy and David?
Vogel: I actually think they will. I think we’re gonna be a better 3-point shooting team this year than we were last year, in particular with Damjan Rudez and Chris Copeland, they can earn some minutes at the small forward position.
Those guys are great shooters. As well as C.J. Miles being a great shooter. I think we have more perimeter shooting on the wings and do think that’ll open up things in the pick-and-roll game, open-court game, and with West and Hibbert.
“Kareem spent a lot of time with Roy off the court as well — watching movies and documentaries on Bill Russell and things like that. He gave Roy a few books to educate him and sort of shift his mind set.” – Frank Vogel
Bishop: Hibbert was working out Kareem this summer. Did you like how those sessions went?
Vogel: I did. I was at all of them. I loved how they went. They weren’t just the sessions on the court — a lot of different perspectives on big-man play. Kareem spent a lot of time with Roy off the court as well — watching movies and documentaries on Bill Russell and things like that. He gave Roy a few books to educate him and sort of shift his mind set. It was a beneficial week and part of the vast offseason program that Roy always puts himself through.
Bishop: George Hill. Do you want to use him more off-ball or with the ball. Have you talked to him?
Vogel: You can use him either way. I definitely will be asking more of him in terms of carrying the scoring load. Whether that means using the ball in pick-and-rolls or bringing him up off screens — we can use him in both ways.
Certainly with the absence of with Lance and Paul, his role is going to change dramatically. He’s working accordingly. He set out to have the best offseason of his life even before the situations with Lance and Paul. Now that those guys aren’t going to be here he’s worked even harder, so I expect him to have a terrific season.
“We’re definitely gonna put the ball in Rodney’s hands a bunch. He’s an electrifying scorer and playmaker.” – Frank Vogel
Bishop: You said you could have played Solomon Hill around 25 minutes per game last season, but there was a lot of depth. Do you plan on throwing him right in there against LeBron and the other top wing guys in the East?
Vogel: Absolutely. Yeah, I absolutely plan on doing that. He’s got the tools to be an elite perimeter defender and I’m sure he’ll get his share of quote-unquote rookie treatment from the officiating. It’ll be a little bit of a while before he learns the tricks of these elite scorers, but he’s got great feet, great toughness, great instincts and he’s gonna be a big part of our plan when we play against those elite perimeter scorers.
When you lose two great defenders like Paul George and Lance, do you still plan to be among the best defenses? Can this system compensate their losses?
“I think we’re gonna be a better 3-point shooting team this year than we were last year, in particular with Damjan Rudez and Chris Copeland.” – Frank Vogel
In some ways, yes. I don’t think we can be the same defensive team without Paul George. Paul George is just a gifted guy that has versatility that no one else in the league has — in terms of playing ones, twos of threes, and really just blanket another team’s top perimeter scorer. Not having him is gonna weaken us defensively. We’re not blind to that.
But we’re gonna still demand extremely high level of defensive efficiency, and we still hope to among the best — and intend to be among the best — defensive teams in the NBA.