Tag: Tyronn Lue

Erik Spoelstra is the obvious choice to replace Steve Kerr as U.S. men’s basketball coach

Erik Spoelstra is the best coach in the NBA. He deserves to take over for Steve Kerr with Team USA.

After winning a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics — even with some unwarranted internal controversy regarding Jayson Tatum — Steve Kerr is reportedly done coaching Team USA men’s basketball, according to longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein.

The news does not come as a shock, as the legendary Golden State Warriors head coach has previously told The Athletic he would likely step down as the Americans’ head man after the Paris Games because he always thought the job was like a “baton” to be passed along.

Where it gets interesting is who will likely replace Kerr, especially as the USA program starts looking ahead to Los Angeles in 2028. Stein has said Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra and Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue are the top two replacement candidates, a decision that feels like a no-brainer either way.

However, let me make the decision for the Americans rather easy.

It should be Spoelstra. Running away.

With no disrespect to Lue, who I think is comfortably a top-five coach in NBA basketball right now, Spoelstra is clearly the best coach in the men’s game. In fact, it’s not even close. Frankly, I was always a little surprised the master tactician from Miami wasn’t the USA coach for this past Olympics cycle, as I actually think Spoelstra is a lot better than Kerr.

Spoelstra’s qualifications basically speak for themselves.

He’s led the Heat to two NBA titles, with six overall appearances in the NBA Finals since 2011. The Heat have missed the playoffs only three times in his entire tenure, which started in the 2008-2009 season. Anyone you talk to about the game often touts Spoelstra’s innate ability to maximize whatever talent he has on hand. He is, in effect, the purveyor of the infamous “Heat Culture” that has become a meme in NBA circles precisely because you really can never count Miami out as long as Spoelstra is coaching. That’s because he’s a brilliant basketball junkie through and through.

Now imagine the guy known for taking “gritty” and often haphazardly pieced-together teams coaching a squad of all the best American players on the planet. Hoo boy. This isn’t to say the Americans are facing any real threat of losing their gold-medal perch in Los Angeles, but more that Spoelstra’s coaching would probably make them somehow even more of a virtual shoo-in.

Make the right decision, USA basketball. Let Kerr pass that baton to Spoelstra. He’s earned it.

Former Husker Ty Lue wins Olympic gold medal

On Saturday, Tyronn Lue won a gold medal as an assistant coach for the United States Men’s national team. 

A former Nebraska men’s basketball player won an Olympic gold medal over the week. On Saturday, Tyronn Lue won a gold medal as an assistant coach for the United States Men’s national team.

Team USA defeated the host team, France, 98-87, to win the tournament. This victory is Team USA’s fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal.

Lue played at Nebraska from 1995 to 1998. He was a two-time All-Big 12 selection, and the Cornhuskers have retired his No. 10.

The Denver Nuggets drafted him with the 23rd pick overall in 1998. The Missouri native would play for the Lakers, Wizards, Magic, Rockets, Hawks, Mavericks, and Bucks during his NBA career, winning two titles with the Lakers (2000 & 2001).

He began his head coaching career during the 2015-16 season, helping the Cleveland Cavaliers win the NBA title. Lue has been the coach of the L.A. Clippers since 2020-21.

In May, he signed a new contract that will run through the 2028-29 season, paying him approximately $14 million per year.

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Team USA coach Steve Kerr is impressed with how hard LeBron James practices

Even after all these years and accomplishment, LeBron James still works like a madman when it comes to his craft.

After someone has been in the same profession for many years and has accomplished almost as much as there is to accomplish there, he or she may have a hard time keeping up the motivation to work hard every day.

It is human nature to suffer some sort of complacency or letdown at that point, especially when one also has all the money one needs for an entire lifetime.

But even after 21 NBA seasons, four NBA championships and more points than anyone else in league history, LeBron James has maintained an impressive work ethic. He has done an admirable job of keeping his body right, and that has allowed him to continue to play at a high level even at age 39.

He is currently training with Team USA as it prepares for the Summer Olympics. Team USA is looking to bring back the gold medal to the United States after a poor showing in last year’s FIBA World Cup in which it didn’t even earn a bronze medal.

After the squad’s first practice, head coach Steve Kerr, who has seen his Golden State Warriors teams go up against James six times in postseason play, was impressed with how hard James continues to practice after all these years.

Via NBC Sports Bay Area:

“I was blown away by how hard he practices,” Kerr said Saturday after Team USA’s first training camp practice at UNLV (University of Nevada, Las Vegas). “And I went to [assistant coach Ty Lue] and [assistant coach Erik Spoelstra] and I said, ‘Is this normal?’ They said, ‘Every day, every day.’ To Spo I said, ‘What about way back when you got him?’ Spo said, ‘Every day. Every drill, every walkthrough.’”

Lue and Spoelstra are obviously very familiar with James. Spoelstra coached the superstar for four seasons with the Miami Heat, while Lue guided him to an NBA championship in 2016 with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

James is teaming up with fellow Los Angeles Lakers superstar Anthony Davis, as well as other studs such as Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards and the Warriors’ Stephen Curry on Team USA. Together, everyone on the roster is hoping to prove that the United States is still tops in the sport of basketball.

Two insiders reveal troubling facts about the Lakers organization

The Lakers’ front office doesn’t have a good reputation around the NBA, and the reality may match that perception.

After University of Connecticut head coach Dan Hurley said no to a generous offer made to him by the Los Angeles Lakers, the nagging issue of whether the Lakers are really a world-class basketball franchise has come up yet again.

Perhaps Hurley saying no had everything to do with Hurley and nothing to do with the Lakers’ deficiencies. However, his decision has made the organization look bad and inadequate once again.

The situation has reminded some of 2019, when the Lakers courted Tyronn Lue, who had coached LeBron James to an NBA championship in 2016 while with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The two sides haggled over the length of the contract offered, and Lue said no.

Lue would instead join the Los Angeles Clippers, and he has been their head coach for the last four seasons. While the Clippers have failed to reach the NBA Finals and have routinely crashed and burned early in the playoffs despite having Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, they haven’t hesitated to pay Lue. In fact, they just gave him a generous extension that will reportedly pay him approximately $14 million a year.

Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report wrote that not only do the Lakers have the reputation of being “very frugal,” but they also lack some modern resources that ultimately help coaches out.

Via Bleacher Report:

“The general opinion around the league is that the Lakers have a very frugal front office,” Pincus wrote. “The Clippers spare no expense with a massive staff, but the Lakers’ sparse front office lacks common features, such as a pro personnel department. Outside of the scouting department for the draft, L.A. doesn’t have scouts spread throughout the league watching NBA talent on a nightly basis in person like other franchises.”

Lakers insider Anthony Irwin went a little bit further.

Via Lakers Daily:

“Sources say the Lakers are seen as a skeleton crew that does not provide its coaches with proper resources.

“‘It just isn’t a good job,’ one NBA assistant coach said. ‘They negotiate as if it’s some grand honor to coach the Lakers, but the reality is you’re looking at a couple years before you’re going to get scapegoated. That’s obviously the case with most coaches, but the Lakers in particular don’t seem to value the position.'”

Some would blame James and Klutch Sports for the fact that head coaches haven’t lasted long for the Lakers in recent years. Their next head coach will be the fourth man to occupy that job since James arrived six years ago.

On the other hand, owner Jeanie Buss isn’t wealthy by NBA standards. Even her father, the late Dr. Jerry Buss, had to take measures to control costs during his 34 years as the Lakers’ owner, although they did win 10 world championships during that time.

Tyronn Lue is officially no longer a coaching option for the Lakers

The Lakers hiring Tyronn Lue to be their next head coach always seemed like an impossible dream.

Even before the Los Angeles Lakers fired Darvin Ham after he had been their head coach for the last two seasons, there was speculation that they wanted to go after Tyronn Lue to fill Ham’s spot.

Lue has been the head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers for the last four seasons, and before that, he had coached LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers for two-and-a-half seasons.

While he may not be a great coach, he is a proven one. His Cavaliers won the NBA championship in 2016 after overcoming a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, who had won a record 73 games in the regular season that year.

The only way Lue would’ve been a real option for the Lakers would’ve been if he had turned down a contract extension from the Clippers and quit his job. But that will not be happening, as he has reportedly agreed to an extension.

Via ESPN:

“LA Clippers coach Ty Lue has signed a new deal through the 2028-2029 season that will make him one of the NBA’s highest-paid coaches at approximately $14 million per year, sources told ESPN,” wrote Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Lakers have moved on and interviewed other candidates. Former sharpshooter JJ Redick seems to be the favorite to land their head coaching gig, but they also had a second interview scheduled with James Borrego on Wednesday.

Lakers ‘know they screwed up’ by not hiring Tyronn Lue in 2019

The Lakers could’ve had more coaching stability over the last five years if they had made Tyronn Lue a better offer, and they know it.

The 2018-19 season, which was LeBron James’ first with the Los Angeles Lakers, was an unmitigated disaster. Despite possessing a solid roster, the Lakers missed the playoffs. Starting in January of that season, a wave of rumors began circulating that they were looking to trade for an additional star, perhaps at James’ behest.

They fired their head coach after the season, and they went into the offseason wanting to hire Tyronn Lue, a former Lakers player who had coached James’ Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA championship in 2016. All in all, it looked like they were very far from winning it all.

It sounds similar to the situation the Purple and Gold are in now.

Lue is very unlikely to become available, as the Los Angeles Clippers, the team he currently coaches, want to sign him to an extension. According to someone close to the Lakers organization, it knows it screwed up by not doing what was needed to hire Lue five years ago.

Via Lakers Daily:

“If Lue was available, it’d be done already,” said a source close to the Lakers. “They know they screwed that up a few years ago and would like to remedy that mistake. Problem is, the Clippers know the Lakers want Lue. So, on top of him being a good coach, (Steve) Ballmer doesn’t want to help the Lakers get better.”

The Lakers seemed to have a strong desire to hire Lue in 2019. Reportedly, talks broke down because they only offered him a three-year contract, and he wanted a longer one.

Lue may not be the second coming of Phil Jackson, who coached him during his short stint as a Lakers player in the early 2000s. But he is a proven championship-caliber coach who has the trust and respect of James, as well as the ability to stand up to the superstar.

As a result of the Lakers’ apparent penny-pinching, they’re looking for their third head coach in six seasons.

Tyronn Lue comments on being a candidate for Lakers’ head coaching job

It doesn’t sound like the Lakers’ interest in Tyronn Lue is mutual.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ search for a new head coach began on Friday when they fired Darvin Ham and his entire staff. Several candidates have emerged. However, there isn’t a Phil Jackson-caliber coach available, so the Lakers will likely take their time before making a decision.

It seems their preferred candidate may be Tyronn Lue. It makes sense. Lue coached LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to an NBA championship in 2016. Lue also won two more rings as a player with the Lakers in the early 2000s.

The problem is Lue is under contract with the Los Angeles Clippers through next season. After the Clippers were knocked out of the playoffs by the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, he was asked about being a candidate for the Lakers’ head coaching job, and he said he wants to remain with the Clippers.

In fact, it looks like the Clippers will not even allow the Lakers to interview Lue (h/t Ahn Fire Digital).

Via The Athletic:

“The Clippers know they can’t upgrade on Lue,” wrote Sam Amick and Law Murray. “They didn’t extend him last offseason, though they guaranteed the last year of the five-year contract he signed in 2020 to succeed Doc Rivers as head coach. Other teams were blocked from talking to Lue. According to team sources, that would be the case again if teams attempt to pry him away this offseason. Lue has already been tied to the Lakers’ vacancy, and his stellar reputation as a title-winning coach means he’d likely be in the running for any job that becomes open.”

Lue has been the Clippers’ head coach since the 2020-21 season. It has been a frustrating tenure for them, as they have reached the Western Conference Finals just once and haven’t won a playoff series since his first year in that capacity despite boasting one of the league’s most talented rosters.

Tyronn Lue doesn’t seem to be a realistic coaching candidate for the Lakers

The Lakers may want Tyronn Lue to be their next head coach, but the chances of that happening seem slim to none.

There is a huge job opening in the Southland as of Friday. The Los Angeles Lakers fired Darvin Ham, which means they’re looking for someone to be their next head coach and be a significant improvement over the beleaguered Ham.

Despite helping the Lakers unexpectedly reach the Western Conference finals last May, Ham was the target of criticism and even vitriol from fans for the better part of this season. Fans were literally begging for him to get axed, and they have been granted their wish.

Even before Ham was officially fired, Tyronn Lue was being mentioned as a prime candidate to replace him. However, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Friday that doesn’t seem realistic.

Lue, who is the Los Angeles Clippers’ head coach, has one year left on his deal. According to Wojnarowski, the Clippers are looking to give him an extension and want him to be their head coach “for a very long time.”

The Lakers interviewed Lue for their head coaching opening in 2019 after they fired Luke Walton, but he turned down their offer, reportedly because he didn’t like the contract that was offered.

Years ago, he played for the Lakers, and as a teammate of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, he won two NBA championships in 2000 and 2001.

Tyronn Lue is reportedly a candidate to be the Lakers’ next head coach

The Lakers reportedly have a prime candidate to replace head coach Darvin Ham.

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham hasn’t been fired yet, but he seems to be as good as gone.

One may wonder why the organization is taking its time to fire Ham, if that is indeed what it will do. One explanation could be it is looking into whether it will be able to hire someone to replace him who would be a considerable improvement.

Reportedly, Tyronn Lue, who is currently the head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, has emerged as a candidate to be L.A.’s next coach, as has former sharpshooter JJ Redick, per Dave McMenamin (h/t Sports Illustrated).

“JJ (Redick) certainly is a real candidate if they do open up this coaching search,” McMenamin said Thursday during an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show. “There’s, I’d say, half a dozen folks out there, including possibly the guy who just lost last night against the Mavericks, Tyronn Lue … that there will be a process there that there are several viable candidates that will get an interview.”

What would likely complicate the Lakers’ efforts to hire Lue is the fact he is under contract with the Clippers past this season and the Clippers are still alive in the playoffs.

Lue’s squad is down 3-2 to the Dallas Mavericks after getting slaughtered at home in Game 5 on Wednesday. Game 6 will take place in Texas on Friday evening.

Lue, of course, coached LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA championship in 2016. They went all the way after trailing in the NBA Finals 3-1 to a Golden State Warriors team that had won a league-record 73 games in the regular season.

He also had a brief stint as a player with the Lakers in the late 1990s and early 2000s. During that stint, he won two world titles as a teammate of Shaquille O’Neal and the late Kobe Bryant.

Lue interviewed to be the Lakers’ head coach in 2019 but turned down their offer. It has been reported that if James had his way, Lue would be his next head coach. James, of course, can become a free agent this summer.

Redick, meanwhile, doesn’t have any coaching experience. He played 15 seasons in the NBA, and he recently became James’ co-host for his new podcast, “Mind The Game.”

Tyronn Lue: 2001 Lakers are greatest NBA team of all time

Former Lakers guard Tyronn Lue thinks no one was better than the 2001 team he played on that went 15-1 en route to the NBA championship.

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When people debate the greatest team in NBA history, at least one edition of the Los Angeles Lakers inevitably comes up. The mid-1980s squads led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are the candidate most often mentioned with the 1972 team also getting some consideration.

The Lakers of the early 2000s won three straight NBA championships, and in 2001 they went 15-1 through the playoffs and didn’t lose a single game for more than two calendar months. However, that iteration doesn’t get much love in this debate.

Tyronn Lue, the Los Angeles Clippers head coach who was a member of that 2001 team, said it was the greatest the league has ever seen while on the “All The Smoke” podcast.

Via Lakers Nation:

“Yea, the greatest of all time for sure. Nobody could beat that team.”

Lue’s reasoning was the difficulties presented by the dynamic duo of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.

“I’m just basing it off of Shaq and Kob. People talk, you know Draymond (Green) go crazy. See the problem is, what they don’t understand is Shaq. You can double team, guard, SHAQ! Forget everything else like how are y’all gonna guard Shaq. That’s the biggest thing because now you’re in the bonus with six minutes to go in the quarter. Now Kobe gets loose you can’t touch him, now he’s going to the free-throw line. So how are you gonna guard Shaq, that’s what people don’t understand. That was the greatest team of all time to me, for sure. Any Kobe and Shaq team; I don’t see how you can beat that team.”

There may have been better NBA teams than the 2001 Lakers, but most of them didn’t win three straight titles.