LOS ANGELES _ The Los Angeles Clippers and Tyronn Lue have an agreement in place to make him an assistant on Doc Rivers' coaching staff, a person with knowledge of the deal but not authorized to speak publicly on the matter confirmed Tuesday.
The agreement comes three months after Lue, who had worked as a Clippers assistant under Rivers before winning the 2016 NBA championship in Cleveland as the Cavaliers' head coach, came close to becoming head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Disagreements over contract terms eventually broke down talks between Lue, who was 128-83 in the regular season and 41-20 in the playoffs as head coach in Cleveland, and the team. The Lakers hired Frank Vogel.
When the Cavaliers fired Lue six games into last season, Rivers, Lue's friend and mentor, blasted the decision. But by last spring, Rivers suggested the move was perhaps a good thing. While Lue was coaching the Cavaliers to their third consecutive NBA Finals appearance in 2018, he missed nine games and attributed the absence to persistent chest pains and anxiety.
Though Lue followed his firing by helping the Clippers in an unofficial, advisory capacity at times last season, his exit from Cleveland essentially forced him to step away from the grind. The break helped Lue's health, Rivers said.
"He's actually had a good time," Rivers said last March. "But he wants to get back in, for sure."
One season after his ouster in Cleveland, Lue is back in and back alongside Rivers again.
