Tag: tyronn lue

Clippers sign head coach Tyronn Lue to new long-term contract

The LA Clippers have signed Tyronn Lue to a new, long-term contract, it was announced by President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank.

“T Lue is everything we want in a head coach. He’s a brilliant tactician and a natural leader with an extraordinary ability to connect with those around him, both players and staff,” said Frank. “Four years ago, we felt privileged to hire T Lue, and we feel just as fortunate today. There’s no one we’d rather coach our team. T Lue is a pillar of the organization and will be for a very long time.”

“This is where I want to be. I’ve loved coaching this team for the past four years and I’m excited to head into a new era at Intuit Dome,” said Lue. “I’m grateful to Steve, Lawrence and the entire organization for the opportunity. With our ownership, front office, roster, staff and arena, we have all the advantages we need to win in the present and the future, and I’m confident we will.”

Over four seasons as head coach of the Clippers, Lue has amassed a record of 184-134 (.579), leading the organization to the postseason in three of the past four seasons. During the 2023-24 campaign, Lue guided the team to a 51-31 (.622) record, winning the Pacific Division title for the third time in franchise history and becoming the first Clippers’ head coach to win consecutive Coach of the Month awards. Lue has coached the Clippers to four consecutive winning seasons, extending the longest active streak in the NBA to 13 seasons. The third-winningest head coach in franchise history, Lue also led the organization to its first Western Conference Finals in 2021.

Before joining the Clippers, Lue was the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2016-18, amassing a 128-83 (.607) record, taking the team to three consecutive NBA Finals, and winning the franchise’s first NBA title in 2016. During the 2015-16 season, Lue became the fourth head coach since 1980 to win an NBA Championship in his first year, and the 14th person to have won a title as a head coach and a player. Prior to Cleveland, Lue worked on the Clippers staff as an assistant coach from 2013-14. He joined the team after spending two years with the Boston Celtics as an assistant coach and director of basketball development.

A native of Mexico, Missouri, Lue played 11 seasons in the NBA, winning championships in 2000 and 2001 with the Lakers. He appeared in 554 career games and averaged 8.5 points and 3.1 assists. Lue attended the University of Nebraska, where he was selected First-Team All-Big 12 in 1998 and had his jersey (No. 10) retired by the school in 2017.

In order to be great, you have to win, says new Clippers coach Tyronn Lue

The Clippers have themselves a new coach. The team recently made their hiring of Tyronn Lue official. Here’s the OC Register reporting some of his words today:

Seated in the media room Wednesday at the Clippers’ practice facility in Playa Vista, Lue expressed a blend of humility – “it feels good to be wanted,” he said – and confidence during a half-hour introductory Zoom session with reporters off site.

“I want to be one of the greatest coaches,” Lue said. “In order to be great, you have to win. So to me, when you start talking about pressure and all that it means, it just means that you’re in position to win a championship.”

Steve Ballmer, the team’s governor, and Lawrence Frank, its president of basketball operations, also joined the remote session, with Ballmer unequivocal in his desire to see his team figure it out fast: “I think it’s probably fair to say my personality is all about winning and we didn’t get the job done that we expected to get done at the end of the season.”

“I tell you,” Ballmer added. “Ty’s my kind of guy, he wants to move, move, move! Learn new things, absorb, think new thoughts – which I think is essential to be better, to grow.” Ballmer also noted that Lue is “a guy I have come to understand holds himself and others accountable, which is a key part of being good in the sports business.”

And here’s the LA Times:

Lue has never shied away from crediting Rivers as the biggest influence for why he entered coaching, and he called Rivers’ dismissal “tough.” But he also described the ways in which he is not a Rivers clone on the sideline, emphasizing that his style has been influenced by Gregg Popovich, Phil Jackson, Stan Van Gundy and Scott Skiles, among others.

Tactically, where Rivers’ offenses often relied on individual playmakers more than set plays, Lue is expected to run a more controlled offense that will hinge on speed and moving the ball.

“I learned a lot from Doc, but I’ve also learned a lot from a lot of other coaches around the league because I’m always studying, I’m always trying to get better,” Lue said. “I want to be better. So, not just learning from Doc, but I learned from other coaches like [Erik Spoelstra] and Brad Stevens and watching Nick Nurse last year, thinking outside the box of playing box-and-one and triangle-and-two [defenses] and bringing something new to the NBA. And if you stop learning, if you stop being willing to learn from other people then you won’t be successful.”

The Clippers were a disappointment at the Disney NBA bubble, but it was also the first year that Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and company played together, so it’s not the biggest surprise ever that the squad wasn’t able to maximize their overall talent in the postseason. Also, multiple Clippers players wound up having to leave the Disney bubble over the course of the postseason, which also certainly isn’t a positive.

It should be relatively easy for Lue to have the team play better than the vast majority of the league next season. The question is if he can help make them reach that difficult next level.

Clippers officially name Tyronn Lue new head coach

The L.A. Clippers have named Tyronn Lue as the team’s head coach, it was announced today by Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released.

Lue will become the franchise’s 26th head coach after serving as an assistant coach for the Clippers during the 2019-20 season. Before joining L.A., he was the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2016-18, amassing a 128-83 record, taking the team to three consecutive NBA Finals, and winning the franchise’s first NBA title in 2016.

“Ty has been where we want to go. He is a championship head coach with an extraordinary feel for the game and the people who play it,” Frank said. “He’s one of the great minds in our league, and he’s able to impart his vision to others, because he connects with everybody he meets. We conducted a thorough search and spoke with fantastic candidates. We found that the best choice for our team was already in our building. As head coach, Ty will put a unique imprint on the organization, and drive us to new heights.”

“The pieces we need are in place – committed ownership, smart management, and elite talent, on and off the court, in the NBA’s best market,” Lue said. “My familiarity with the organization, particularly Mr. Ballmer and Lawrence, confirmed this is where I want to be. We have work to do to become champions, but we have the motivation, the tools, and the support to get there. I’m excited to get started.”

During the 2015-16 season, Lue became the fourth head coach since 1980 to win an NBA Championship during his first year, and the 14th person to have won a title as a head coach and as a player. During that same season, Lue was also selected to coach the Eastern Conference All-Star team. Over the next two seasons, he led the Cavaliers to two more Finals appearances, becoming the third head coach in NBA history to lead his team to three straight NBA Finals in his first three seasons. Lue previously worked on the Clippers staff as an assistant coach from 2013-14. He joined the team after spending two years with the Boston Celtics, as an assistant coach and the director of basketball development.

A native of Mexico, Missouri, Lue played 11 seasons in the NBA, winning two NBA championships in 2000 and 2001 with the Lakers. He appeared in 554 career games and averaged 8.5 points and 3.1 assists. Lue attended the University of Nebraska, where he was selected First-Team All-Big 12 in 1998 and had his jersey (#10) retired by the school in 2017.

Clippers will reportedly name Tyronn Lue new head coach

The Clippers were one of the best teams in the NBA this past regular season, but fell short in the playoffs, getting sent home in the second round. Head coach Doc Rivers, well-respected a good coach but doubted as a great one, was soon out of a job. And now the Clippers have quickly found a replacement, per reports. Here’s the OC Register with the latest:

After a couple of weeks of careful consideration, the Clippers on Thursday closed the deal with former assistant Tyronn Lue to replace his former boss Doc Rivers as the team’s head coach, as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and confirmed by a league source. Wojnarowski reported Lue agreed to a five-year contract.

Lue’s coaching staff reportedly will include five-time All-Star Chauncy Billups and former NBA head coach Larry Drew, according to the Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Lue, a 43-year-old native Missourian, who played point guard for 11 NBA seasons, this past year served as an assistant under Rivers after spending parts of four seasons as the head coach in Cleveland, where he directed LeBron James-led teams to an NBA title and two other Finals appearances.

The Clippers should be one of the league’s best teams again next season. This is a great opportunity, and a coveted job. Congrats to Lue for reportedly landing it.

Coach Tyronn Lue fired by Cavs

Coach Tyronn Lue fired by Cavs

Cavaliers Head Coach Tyronn Lue was released today by the team. Associate Head Coach Larry Drew has been named interim head coach. The announcement was made from Cleveland Clinic Courts by Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman.

“This was a very difficult decision. It is especially so, considering Coach Lue’s time with us over the last four years, including four straight trips to the NBA Finals,” said Altman. “We have respect and great admiration for Ty, not only as a coach, but a person. We thank him for the many ways he has contributed to our success, wish him the best and he will always be remembered for leading a very special Cavs team back against the odds to win the title in 2016. This is a different team equation, though, and one that we felt needed a different voice and approach that required this change.”

Coach Lue joined the Cavaliers coaching staff in June of 2014 as associate head coach. He was promoted to head coach in January of 2016, thus becoming the 20th head coach in franchise history. As head coach of the Cavaliers, he had a combined regular season record of 128-83 (.606) and a 41-20 (.672) mark in the playoffs.

Drew was named associate head coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers in September of 2016. He spent his first two seasons with the Cavaliers as an assistant coach (2014-2016), including the 2015-16 campaign when Cleveland won the NBA championship.

Before his arrival in Cleveland, Drew served as the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks in 2013-14. Prior to that, he was head coach of the Atlanta Hawks from 2010 through 2013, where he compiled a 128-102 (.557) overall record and led the Hawks to the postseason in each of his three campaigns on the bench.

Tyronn Lue intends to return as Cavs coach

If Tyronn Lue has his way, he’ll be coaching the Cleveland Cavaliers again next season. Here’s ESPN.com reporting:

Tyronn Lue confirmed to reporters after Friday’s series-ending Game 4 loss in the NBA Finals to the Golden State Warriors that he intends to return as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers next season.

Lue, who guided the Cavs to their first championship in franchise history after being elevated from associate head coach to the head coach midway through the 2015-16 season, when David Blatt was dismissed, has three years remaining on the five-year, $35 million contract extension he signed in the summer of 2016.

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Cavs, Tyronn Lue agree to new contract

Cavs, Tyronn Lue agree to new contract

The Cavaliers and head coach Tyronn Lue have agreed to a new, multi-year contract, the team announced today.

“Ty took over our team under very trying circumstances and his calm, confident approach was invaluable as we found our way to success,” said General Manager David Griffin. “His vision, leadership and tactical acumen were fundamental to us reaching our goals. We couldn’t be happier to have Ty continue to lead our group into the future.”

According to The Vertical, it’s a five-year deal worth $35 million.

“The opportunity to continue coaching the Cavaliers and this very special group of players is tremendous,” said Lue. “I am extremely appreciative of the effort and commitment that Dan Gilbert, Jeff Cohen, Nate Forbes, and David Griffin showed in extending my contract. Cleveland fans are the best in sports and I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this very special community. I am focused on helping this organization continue to grow and look forward to more success for our team and our fans.”

According to ESPN.com, “Lue did not sign a new contract when he was promoted from associate head coach to take over for David Blatt in January, sources previously told ESPN.”

Lue was promoted from associate head coach to head coach on January 22, 2016, thus becoming the 20th head coach in franchise history. The Cavs went on to finish the 2015-16 season with the best record in the Eastern Conference (57-25) and the franchise’s first ever NBA Championship.

During the 2016 Playoffs, Lue became the first head coach in league history to win his first 10 postseason games, as Cleveland would go on to finish a franchise-best 16-5 in their title run. After the Cavaliers defeated Golden State 4-3 in the 2016 NBA Finals, Lue became the fourth-youngest head coach to win an NBA title and just the third coach to win a championship after taking over a team mid-season, joining Pat Riley (2006 and 1982) and Paul Westhead (1980). The Cavaliers also became the first team to overcome a 3-1 deficit in Finals history and the fourth team to win an NBA Finals Game 7 on the road.

Tyronn Lue wants the Cavs to play faster

The Cavaliers (30-12, 4th best record in NBA) are getting 25.0 ppg from LeBron James, 15.8 ppg from Kyrie Irving, 15.6 ppg from Kevin Love, and 12.3 from J.R Smith. They recently said goodbye to head coach David Blatt and put assistant Tyronn Lue in charge. Here’s the Akron Beacon Journal reporting:

The Cavs rank 28th in the league in pace, or possessions per 48 minutes. Lue wants to get this team playing faster, but he cautioned Saturday that will take time. This team is used to a slow pace that has proved successful.

When Lue tried to speed that pace up Saturday, all three of his stars asked out of the game early because they were tired. That forced him to use 10 players in the first quarter, jumbled his preset rotation and he struggled to recover. LeBron James didn’t dispute the idea the Cavs aren’t physically ready yet to run Lue’s style of offense.

“We played slow basketball up to this point,” James said. “We walk the ball up a lot. … All of us need to do something different as far as our pace and our conditioning. If he wants us to play faster and you want to be out on the floor, you can’t get tired. And if you do, you’ve got to come out. Something that Coach Lue wants us to do and we’ve all got to accept it.”

Cavs fire David Blatt; Tyronn Lue takes over as head coach

Cleveland Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin announced today that David Blatt has been released from his duties as head coach. Associate Head Coach Tyronn Lue has been named Head Coach. The current Cavaliers assistant coaches and staff remain under contract and will continue working with the team.

“On behalf of the organization, I would like to thank David Blatt for his efforts and commitment to this franchise,” said Griffin. “He spent the last year and a half battling intense scrutiny, working to mold a very willful group and we all recognize that is not at all an easy task.”

“But with that said, when you have the clarity of purpose that our ownership has instilled in this entire organization, decisions often make themselves. Every decision made is an answer to the following question: does it put us in the best position to deliver Championships to Northeast, Ohio.”

“So, today, we are elevating Tyronn Lue, from his role as Associate Head Coach to Head Coach. I am more than confident that he will have the pulse of our team and the buy-in required to enhance the habits and culture that will foster the kind of identity and results we must have.”

Blatt was named the 19th head coach in Cavaliers history on June 20, 2014. During his one and half seasons as head coach, Blatt compiled a regular season record of 83-40 and a 14-6 mark in last year’s playoffs.

“Over the course of my business career I have learned that sometimes the hardest thing to do is also the right thing to do,” said Dan Gilbert, Majority Owner of the Cavaliers. “Our ownership group supports David Griffin’s decision. We would like to thank David Blatt for his work over these past two seasons where the Cavaliers transformed into a playoff team after a rebuilding phase. We believe Tyronn Lue is the right coach at the right time to put us in the best position to take the last but most challenging step to complete our mission to deliver Cleveland an NBA Championship.”

Lue is in his second season with the Cavs after being hired as the associate head coach in June 2014. He was previously an assistant coach on Doc Rivers’ staff with the Los Angeles Clippers, who captured the Pacific Division title with a 57-25 record in 2013-14. Prior to the Clippers, Lue spent four seasons as a member of Rivers’ Boston Celtics staff, the last two as an assistant coach. He began his time in Boston as the Director of Basketball Development in 2009-10.

Originally drafted by the Denver Nuggets with the 23rd overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, Lue played 11 seasons in the NBA, appearing in 554 career games with the Lakers, Washington, Orlando, Houston, Atlanta, Dallas and Milwaukee. The former University of Nebraska star won NBA Championships in 2000 and 2001 with the Lakers.

Cavs name Tyronn Lue associate head coach

Cavs name Tyronn Lue associate head coach

Tyronn Lue has joined Cleveland Cavaliers Head Coach David Blatt’s staff as associate head coach, Blatt and General Manager David Griffin announced today.

“Over the past several weeks, it became clear that Ty could play a key role in our team’s future success,” said Griffin. “Ty fits our culture and vision for the franchise. His successful experience as both a player and coach is going to help us tremendously. Tyronn Lue joining Coach Blatt’s staff is more than exciting to all of us here in Cleveland. The leadership and knowledge of Ty is going to be critically important as we move into a new era of competitive Cavaliers basketball.”

Lue was most recently an assistant coach on head coach Doc Rivers’ staff with the Los Angeles Clippers, who captured the Pacific Division title with a 57-25 record in 2013-14. Prior to the Clippers, Lue spent four seasons as a member of Rivers’ Boston Celtics staff, the last two as an assistant coach. Lue began his time in Boston as the Director of Basketball Development in 2009-10.

“I could not be happier that Ty will be joining the Cavaliers’ coaching staff as my top assistant. I look forward to leveraging all of his experiences and expertise into our team’s development,” said Blatt. “This is a character guy and winner himself who played and worked with some of the greatest talents and successful leaders in NBA history. I am thrilled to have him by my side as we get to work in Cleveland.”

A native of Mexico, Missouri, Lue played 11 seasons in the NBA and appeared in 554 career games with the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington, Orlando, Houston, Atlanta, Dallas and Milwaukee. The former University of Nebraska star won NBA Championships in 2000 and 2001 with the Lakers.

“First, I wouldn’t be in the position to make this career move and advancement without the deep support, mentorship and friendship that I have received and enjoyed from Doc Rivers. I want to thank Doc for helping prepare me so well for this next step and challenge,” said Lue. “Cleveland is a great opportunity. I am looking forward to joining Coach Blatt, David Griffin and the entire Cavaliers organization at a very exciting and promising time for the franchise. Through numerous discussions with David and Griff, I felt Cleveland is a great situation for me. I believe my background will help me play a key part in helping achieve the vision that the leadership of this franchise has for its team. I can’t wait to get to work with Coach Blatt and our players.”