The Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to a new long-term contract with head coach Tyronn Lue that will make him one of the highest-paid coaches in the NBA, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal is for five years, $70 million, and it represents a sizable commitment from the Clippers to one of the top head coaches in the NBA.
As he was entering the final year of his contract, Lue's future with the Clippers had suddenly become a key question mark around the league. While Lue and the organization made it known that there was mutual interest in a new deal, that did not stop rumors from circulating about the championship head coach possibly being a lead candidate for the Los Angeles Lakers vacancy. After all, his connection with LeBron James from their time with the Cleveland Cavaliers loomed large.
All of these rumors have been put to bed now that Lue is under contract with the Clippers for the foreseeable future.
“I hope so. I hope so. I didn't come here to bounce around and go all over the place,” Lue stated regarding his status with the Clippers following the team's exit from the postseason. “Mr. [Steve] Ballmer (Clippers owner), Lawrence [Frank, president of basketball operations], Mark [Hughes, senior vice president and assistant general manager], Trent [Redden, general manager], Gillian [Zucker, president of business operations], they've all been great to me. This is where I want to be, and hopefully, they feel the same way.”
Since becoming the Clippers head coach in 2020 after Doc Rivers was relieved of his duties by the organization, Lue has continued to prove that he is one of the better head coaches in the entire NBA. The Clippers have never had a losing season in Lue's four years with the franchise, and he has led them to a 318-184 record during the regular season. Lue is 13-17 in the playoffs as the Clippers head coach, recently taking them to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in team history during the 2020-21 season.
Owner Steve Ballmer has never been afraid of spending money in order to make his team a championship contender. After agreeing to a three-year extension that exceeds $150 million with All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard, Ballmer has now locked up his head coach long-term as the Clippers prepare to relocate to their new Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, ahead of the 2024-25 season.
How Tyronn Lue's contract impacts Paul George
Although some may critique the job Lue has done, the fact of the matter is that he has had to deal with constant lineup changes as a result of injuries. Leonard and fellow All-Star Paul George have played in less than 50 percent of the games Lue has coached in Los Angeles.
This season, he was tasked with incorporating former league MVP James Harden into the equation, a process that took some time to get used to. Still, Lue was able to figure things out and set the organization on a path to success. He was named the NBA's Coach of the Month in December and January as a result.
With Leonard and Lue now under contract, Ballmer and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank will now turn their attention to George's contract situation.
At this time, all indications point towards George opting out of his $48.7 million player option for the 2024-25 season in order to become the best unrestricted free agent available. Whether or not the Clippers will be able to retain their star wing or agree to an extension at this juncture remains a key question that nobody has answers to around the league. Overall, the expectation is that George will remain with the Clippers, but not before he truly entertains the options presented to him this summer.
One of the Clippers' main goals this offseason was to ensure that Lue was not going anywhere else. Now that Lue is one of the highest paid coaches in the NBA, the Clippers can focus on becoming true championship contenders, a title they have had trouble holding onto.
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