During an appearance on The Stephen A. Smith Show, Ty Lue revealed the reasons behind his decision to turn down the Los Angeles Lakers’ head coaching job offer. Lue, who is currently the head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, explained that he felt disrespected by the terms presented by the Lakers.
Lue detailed that the Lakers offered him a three-year contract and wanted to have a say in his coaching staff. However, Lue felt that the terms did not reflect the respect he deserved, especially considering his track record of success, including leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to an NBA Championship in 2016.
“I don’t think they had the same respect for me as I felt they should,” Lue said. “They offered me the job on a three-year basis, and they wanted to pick my coaching staff, and I just wasn’t going to do that.”
Interestingly, Lue mentioned that LeBron James personally reached out to him to persuade him to join the Lakers. Despite LeBron’s efforts, Lue stood firm on his decision, prioritizing respect and proper recognition over the opportunity.
“He called me twice. He called me, ‘What do I gotta do? You want this?’ I said, ‘No, I want them to respect me. I don’t want to have to go to you to get my deal done. If they don’t respect me like I should be respected, then it’s okay,’” Lue added.
Since turning down the Lakers, Lue has found success with the Clippers, leading the team to the postseason in three of the past four seasons. His leadership and coaching abilities have earned him a new long-term contract with the Clippers, solidifying his position as one of the top coaches in the league.
