Former NBA champion coach Tyronn Lue seemed the hottest NBA item at the moment. Speculations are rife that the Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach commands the attention of numerous NBA teams who are without a head coach. Lue, however, is seen to sign either with the Brooklyn Nets or the Philadelphia 76ers.
In recent days, the list includes the New Orleans Pelicans as the team had to let go of Alvin Gentry following their exit from the bubble games in Orlando. Now, the Pelicans are believed to be out of the running as claimed by Marc Stein of The New York Times.
Lue will most likely quit as an assistant to Doc Rivers in the offseason and he is up for promotion elsewhere. Stein said the Nets and the Sixers "are more likely landing spots," for the veteran coach, per the story from Bleacher Report.
The report added that if the Houston Rockets should decide to also get a new chief tactician, who will replace Mike D'Antoni, Lue likewise is the top candidate.
Lue's popularity is understandable. His previous works include the successful handling of the Cleveland Cavaliers that had LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love on the lineup in 2016. That same squad won the NBA championship and turned back the rampaging Golden State Warriors.
The credentials certainly speak volumes for Lue and teams running after him are looking to get his expertise, in hope that he can deliver the crown in the shortest possible time. And one thing also going for the Clippers assistant is his ability to connect with superstars.
Lue has no issue dealing with the likes of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on his current team, and he should be doing the same with the NBA teams who are after him. And they happened to have their shares of stars as well, which Lue should handle well in case he takes charge.
If the hotly pursued coach will decide to take the top job in Brooklyn, he is most certainly welcome there, according to Clutch Points. The Nets are hunting for the man to replace Kenny Atkinson and the preference expressed by the team's superstars - Irving and Kevin Durant - is for a high-profile name.
On that, the shortlisted candidates are Lue and Gregg Popovich, and both surely fit the bill.
Per the same report, Lue and Popovich will most likely work for KD and Irving as the two would want "to be coached by a personality of a similar caliber in terms of league-wide popularity."
So when his tour in Los Angeles ends this season, Lue can look forward to another high-paying job in the NBA plus the chance of adding another title to his collection.
