If it were up to him, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James would like Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue to be in charge of the Purple and Gold. This is according to an Eastern Conference executive.
“LeBron would have Ty Lue as his coach and he would do that with the Lakers if it were all up to him,” the executive stated to Heavy Sports. That is his partner. LeBron singled out Ty among all the coaches he has ever had. Now that he has free agency on his side, he may be able to pressure the team into taking action to keep him if he is dismissed.
“I believe that LeBron’s reputation for controlling plays and pulling strings is much exaggerated. He is easy to work with, as anyone who has collaborated with him would attest. It would be foolish of you not to seek him for his opinion as he is not beyond sharing his thoughts with you. However, contrary to popular belief, he is not a puppet master.
“However, I would be extremely surprised if Ty Lue did not pressure the Lakers to acquire him if he were available.”
Lue and James have a history together, having won a historic NBA title in 2016 with the Cleveland Cavaliers. For the Cavaliers, it was their first and only championship in franchise history.
Though the Clippers have never made it to the NBA Finals under Lue’s direction, he is currently striving to take the team to the same heights them. The Dallas Mavericks and Lue’s team are now locked in a 2-2 first-round playoff series.
James, on the other hand, left Lue and the Cavaliers to win a championship with the Lakers. Los Angeles defeated Orlando, Florida to win the 2020 NBA championship. The Denver Nuggets eliminated James’ team in the opening round of this season.
The Purple and Gold may need to seek a head coach this offseason because Lakers head coach Darvin Ham’s future is rather doubtful. If the Clippers decide to split ways with the 46-year-old Lue after they lose in the playoffs once more, he might be available.
James, a future Hall of Famer, may become a free agency this offseason, so his future is also a hot topic. James leaving the Lakers would undoubtedly surprise a lot of people, but it’s a possibility that can’t be completely ruled out.
The 39-year-old superstar wants to make the most of his remaining NBA years because he doesn’t have much time left in the league. Maybe he just has to get back into a relationship with Lue again to add another ring to his collection before he ends things permanently.