Clippers’ Tyronn Lue ‘not going anywhere’ despite Lakers rumors

The Clippers promoted Tyronn Lue as the team’s head coach in 2020 following a dispiriting end to their playoff run in the bubble. Lue, in 2021, was excellent in the playoffs. Despite trailing their first-round matchup against the Dallas Mavericks and second-round series versus the Utah Jazz, Lue was able to adjust, with the Clippers winning both series to advance to their first Conference Finals in franchise history.

With a healthy team, Lue has shown a masterful ability to get the job done under the bright lights of the playoffs despite mounting adversity. He is not afraid to make tough decisions. Against the Mavericks in 2021, Lue benched Ivica Zubac and Patrick Beverley after Game 2 as Luka Doncic torched them time and time again. Lue called upon Nicolas Batum and Reggie Jackson to play major roles, and they delivered.

And then, with Kawhi Leonard injured in the final two games of their clash against the Jazz, Lue put his trust in second-year wing Terance Mann and Mann delivered in a big way.

Alas, Lue can only do so much with his best player unable to stay healthy. In 2022, a ragtag Clippers group missed the playoffs after Leonard missed the entire season with a torn ACL. In 2023, the Clippers struggled with load management all season long, and when the playoffs rolled along, Leonard tore his meniscus, sidelining him for the final three games of their first-round exit against the Phoenix Suns.

This season, it seemed as though Lue and the Clippers were figuring it out, thanks in large part to the arrival of James Harden. But come postseason time, Leonard was once again plagued by knee issues. He played in just two games of their first-round series defeat against the Mavericks and in the two games he played, he wasn’t even close to being 100 percent.

Suffice to say, Tyronn Lue hasn’t exactly gotten a chance to meet the lofty expectations surrounding the team given how many of their problems have come from factors beyond their control. The Clippers could think that the grass is greener on the other side, but there are few brighter basketball minds than Lue’s, and the organization knows it given how in demand Lue would be if he ends up being available on the coaching market — with the Los Angeles Lakers widely expected to be the leading contender for his services.

Big offseason ahead for the Clippers

This offseason feels like a crossroads for the Clippers franchise. Kawhi Leonard may be locked into a huge contract extension, but James Harden is entering free agency, while Paul George and Russell Westbrook could turn down their player options for next season and hit the open market.

Given how punitive the new CBA is to teams that are in the luxury tax year-in, year-out, the Clippers could face huge payroll problems if they decide to run it back. It’s fair to question if the Clippers will do so, given how disappointing their 2023-24 season ended up being, but they don’t exactly have a realistic pathway to improving the roster if they just let Harden or George walk given how few tradeable quality assets they have.

It’s enticing to think about a potential rebuild; alas, Leonard is still on the roster, and it’s not exactly an ideal scenario for the Clippers to kick off the Intuit Dome era by fielding a bad team. It’ll be interesting to see how they navigate what’s shaping up to be their most crucial offseason in years.