As former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue is no longer pursuing the Los Angeles Lakers head coaching job, there are reasons why both sides ended contract negotiations.
Lue had been pegged as one of the frontrunners ever since the Lakers parted ways with former head coach Luke Walton following the 2018-19 NBA season. Aside from Lue’s rapport with LeBron James, his status seemed to be cemented when a video surfaced of him celebrating his birthday with a Lakers-themed cake.
Regardless, there has since been a major breakdown in the discussions after Lue was hoping for some long-term security in Los Angeles. It seems he was also concerned about the team’s desire to pick his coaching staff.
According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Lue would still have been open to bringing in former Indiana Pacers head coach Vogel and Milwaukee Bucks head coach Jason Kidd if they met his terms:
The Lakers pushed for former NBA coaches Frank Vogel and Jason Kidd to be added to Lue’s coaching staff, sources said. Although Lue wasn’t fond of having his staff picked for him, he would have relented if his contract terms were met, sources said.
The prospect of Lue feeling uncomfortable with two former head coaches on his staff is certainly understandable. It was also likely magnified by the fact that the front office was not willing to provide him with some more long-term security.
Regardless, reports suggest that Vogel and Kidd joining his staff was not the problem. The fact that he was hoping to secure at least a five-year deal like the one Walton was initially rewarded with when he became the team’s head coach.
There is no question the Lakers have burned through multiple head coaches over the last several seasons and it is safe to say that Lue was looking to make sure his new team was bringing him in for the long haul. Perhaps Los Angeles does not feel they are in a position to fully commit to any particular head coach at this time.
