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Was Ty Lue a Good Hire by The Los Angeles Clippers?

Anthony Fontanello / NBA / October 16, 2020

Ty Lue signed a five-year deal with the Los Angeles Clippers to be the team’s new head coach. Lue famously coached the Cavs to their first NBA Championship in 2016. However, the season after LeBron departed from Clevland, Lue was fired after starting 0-6.

Lue most recently was the assistant coach for the Clippers this season and has now taken over following Doc Rivers exit.

Ty Lue Will Fail Without LeBron.

However, Lue is not a good hire by the Clippers. Not only is it not good, but once Kawhi inevitably leaves after failing for a second season. Lue will follow him out the door. Look, if Doc Rivers couldn’t get this team to meet expectations, which was playing the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, how could anyone think Lue can do it?

Lue only succeeded when LeBron James was on his team, and to be fair, so could any coach in the NBA. James is among the game’s great players and is a leader above all else. Kawhi and Pandemic P are not leaders. Lue needs a leader in that locker room. Kawhi Leonard is not a leader; he is not vocal; he is a lead by example type of player. That’s all well and good, but when you have guys on the team that need leadership, you won’t get it from Kawhi.

Kawhi Has Turned Into a Manipulator, and He Should go Back to Not Having Fun.

This move had to have had Kwahi’s input on it. Rumors were circling that Kawhi had something to do with the firing of Rivers. Honestly, I’d believe it. Nevertheless, this move will blow up in the face of the Clippers. And as fast as their window opened, it will again close. The team didn’t mesh at all. No chemistry existed on the 2020 Clippers. The Lakers had a whole new team outside of LeBron, Kuzma, KCP, and Caruso, and they won the Finals.

By all means, if Steve Balmer thinks Lue is the guy, then so be it. But, I wouldn’t be too quick to say it’s a success until I see some more playoff success. For most teams being in the playoffs is a good season; however, these Clippers, with the roster they have, fail if they do not make the Finals. Ultimately, Lue will be judged on his playoff performance, and so will this Clippers team.