Many Lakers fans knew that LeBron James would try to push Tyronn Lue to take over after his team fired Darvin Ham. The organization’s following of the Clippers’ situation with Lue gave fans a clue on how seriously the Purple and Gold took the one-time championship-winning coach as a possible replacement.
James’ team has since gone forward with JJ Redick. While the former sharpshooter and basketball analyst is experiencing some growing pains as a tactician, he’s doing a great job in leading a talented team to a respectable record in a highly competitive Western Conference.
While Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka are happy with Redick’s hiring, some fans may be wondering what the Purple and Gold would look like if one of their former players took the helm at the head coaching position. Lue has come forward with how his interview with his former team went.
Tyronn Lue talks about the ‘disrespect’ he got from the Los Angeles Lakers during his interview
The former point guard appeared on The Stephen A. Smith Show and discussed the interview process with his former team. He didn’t mince words regarding how the interview went.
Per Fadeaway World’s Gautam Varier:
“I don’t think they had the same respect for me as I felt they should,” Lue said. “They offered me the job on a three-year basis, and they wanted to pick my coaching staff, and I just wasn’t going to do that.
“And I think more so for me to be a championship coach, to take a three-year deal when everyone else is getting five-year deals and more money, and then you want to pick my staff as well, I just thought that was a slap in the face,” Lue continued. “And I think as a young Black head coach, I just thought it was a bad example I was setting for other guys coming up after me.
Lue also highlighted that a championship-caliber coach needs more than three years to transform a roster into one that can compete. However, it’s understandable why Buss and Pelinka decided to pass on him due to LeBron’s timeline.
Lue started his three-year career with the Lakers, and many would remember him best as the player Allen Iverson stepped over during his legendary NBA Finals run. He cut out a nice pro career for himself, staying in the league for 11 seasons before retiring and focusing on becoming a head coach.
He won a title with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 thanks to the heroics of James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love. He’s been a fixture on NBA sidelines ever since. While it would have been nice for James to have a reliable person leading the team from the sidelines, Redick is more than a fine replacement.
Meanwhile, Lue is doing a fantastic job in a Clippers roster without Kawhi Leonard in it. If he continues to overperform with the roster he has, a big-time job is not far from the horizon.
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