NBA Rumors: Ty Lue Contract Extension to Be Pursued by Clippers amid Lakers HC Buzz
May 3, 2024
The Los Angeles Clippers hope to extend head coach Ty Lue past the end of the 2025-26 season, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The news comes hours after The Athletic's Shams Charania listed Lue as a potential candidate to replace Darvin Ham on the Los Angeles Lakers' bench.
The Clippers guaranteed the final 2024-25 season of Lue's current contract last offseason, per Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times.
Lue and the Clippers are currently preparing to face the Dallas Mavericks Saturday in a must-win Game 6 of the first round.
According to Wojnarowski, whether the Clippers win the first-round series will not influence the team's desire to retain Lue.
"The Clippers are determined to do a long-term deal with Ty Lue," Wojnarowski said Friday on ESPN's NBA Today. "I'm told they want him to be their coach for a very long time. That's a conversation that will happen after the playoffs are over, but they love the job he did this season, they love the job that he's done there."
This isn't the first time the Clippers have fended off other team's interest in Lue. According to Greif, Los Angeles made their last adjustment to his contract after their coach received interest from the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks last offseason.
Lue holds a 184-134 regular-season record as the Clippers' head coach. He heads into Game 6 of the first round with a 13-16 mark in the postseason.
He has also led the Clippers to two consecutive postseasons despite Kawhi Leonard being limited by injuries.
Regardless of what happens Saturday, Los Angeles hopes to re-sign James Harden and Paul George after settling on a three-year extension with Leonard earlier this season, per Wojnarowski.
According to Wojnarowski, the Clippers want Lue to return with that core.
The Lakers are seeking a replacement for Darvin Ham after announcing his departure Friday, four days after Los Angeles was eliminated from the first round in five games by the Denver Nuggets.
Other candidates the Lakers are considering, per Charania, include former Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer and ESPN analyst JJ Redick.
