According to one Eastern Conference executive, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James would want Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue running the show for the Purple and Gold if it were up to him.
“If it was all up to LeBron, he’d have Ty Lue as his coach and he would do that with the Lakers,” the executive told Heavy Sports. “That’s his guy. Out of all the coaches LeBron has ever had, the one he singles out is Ty. Now he is in a position where he has free-agency on his side and he can maybe force the team to do something to get his guy if he gets fired.
“I think LeBron has a reputation for pulling strings and dictating moves, and that gets way overblown. Anyone who has worked with him will say, he is easy to work with. He has opinions and he will let you know and, really, you’d be crazy not to ask him his opinion. But he is not a puppet master like some people think.
“But if Ty Lue is available, I’d be really shocked if he did not push the Lakers to get him.”
James and Lue have history, as the two won an iconic NBA championship together with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. It marked the first and only title in franchise history for the Cavs.
These days, Lue is trying to reach the same heights with the Clippers, though the team hasn’t reached the NBA Finals under his leadership (or at any point in the history of the franchise). Lue’s squad is currently battling with the Dallas Mavericks in a first-round playoff series that is tied 2-2.
James, for his part, won a championship with the Lakers after leaving Lue and the Cavs. L.A. won the 2020 NBA title in the Orlando, Fla. bubble. This season, James’ squad was eliminated in the first round by the Denver Nuggets.
With the future of Lakers head coach Darvin Ham in serious question, the Purple and Gold may have to make a head-coaching hire this offseason. Lue could be available if the Clippers fall short in the playoffs again and decide to part ways with the 46-year-old.
But James’ future is also a hot topic, as the future Hall of Famer could become a free agent this offseason. James leaving the Lakers would certainly stun many, but it’s a possibility that can’t be entirely dismissed.
At 39 years old, the veteran superstar doesn’t have too much time left in the NBA, so he certainly wants to make the most of what remains of his career. Perhaps another partnership with Lue is exactly what he needs in order to add another ring to his collection before he calls it quits for good.
