Los Angeles Clippers have hired Tyronn Lue as the franchise’s new head coach. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Lue and Clippers finalized the negotiations on Thursday night and agreed to a five-year deal.
Lue spent the 2019/20 NBA season with the Clippers, serving as an assistant under Doc Rivers. When Rivers and Clippers decided to part ways after a disappointing playoff exit, Lue immediately emerged as a favorite to succeed him.
Clippers considered several other candidates but circled back to Lue. They believed that his earlier success with Cleveland Cavaliers and the ability to command the locker room would help lift an underachieving squad. Reportedly, he also received support from key Clippers’ players.
Ty Lue previously served as a head coach with Cleveland Cavaliers, leading the franchise to three consecutive NBA Finals appearances and one NBA title in 2016. He previously won two NBA rings with Los Angeles Lakers as a player.
Since being fired by the Cavs after a rough start in the 2018/19 NBA season, Lue was mentioned as a candidate for several openings, including the Lakers’ one after they parted ways with Luke Walton. He didn’t manage to get the terms he wanted from the Lakers, so he instead opted to assist Rivers for a year before getting back into head coaching.
Lue also interviewed with Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans in the past weeks, but coaching All-Stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, coupled with being in LA, made him choose the Clippers.
