The Lakers have been linked to one very notable name in current Clippers coach Ty Lue, but landing him may not be a realistic option.
The Lakers’ search for a new head coach after parting ways with Darvin Ham on Friday will be an interesting one, highlighted by perhaps the top name they’ve been linked to early on in Ty Lue. While all the other names have been candidates who are either unemployed, assistant coaches or not coaches at all, Lue is the only one who is currently a head coach on another team.
The links between Lue and the Lakers are clear with so much of it centered around LeBron James. Together, Lue and LeBron won a title in 2016 and made Finals after Finals after Finals during their heyday in Cleveland.
In order to land Lue, things would have to go awry across the hallway with the Clippers, who are on the brink of losing to the Mavericks in the first round. Even then, that may not be enough.
On NBA Today on Friday, Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Lue is not considered a realistic option for the Lakers at this time.
How realistic is it that Ty Lue could be the next coach of the Lakers? @wojespn reports on NBA Today: pic.twitter.com/70gtJacoNZ
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) May 3, 2024
The biggest hurdle is that Lue's deal with the Clippers has one year left. No matter how badly things go in the first round, there would have to be a sense within the Clippers front office that if they were to part ways with Lue, the chances are high he would land with the Lakers.
Whether that would come in the way of the Clippers firing Lue — which seems unlikely — or a mutual agreement of parting ways — which is far more likely — the Lakers would need the Clippers’ indirect help to land Lue.
(UPDATE: Since publishing this, a report from Woj has come out that the Clippers want to negotiate an extension with Lue. That is not a coincidence).
That alone, then, makes this all very unlikely. That’s also not taking into account whether Lue wants to be a Laker. The last time these two were in negotiations, things went so badly that Lue walked away and certainly did not forget how things played out years later.
There are many moving parts to this, then, which naturally make it unrealistic. Perhaps how the Clippers exit the postseason will determine how the offseason plays out for them and the Lakers.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.
