Report: Extension unlikely for head coach of Western Conference contender

Tyronn Lue appears to be sticking around as the head coach of the L.A. Clippers, but it may ultimately be as a lame duck.

Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes reported on Friday that Lue is unlikely to agree to a contract extension with the Clippers this offseason, meaning the veteran coach could become a free agent as early as summer 2024. Haynes notes that Lue has two years left on his deal, with the second year being a team option.

The 46-year-old Lue, who coached the Cleveland Cavaliers to an NBA title in 2016, has been at the controls for the Clippers since 2020. He led the team to their first Western Conference Finals berth in 2021 and did well putting together a string of comeback wins with a shorthanded roster in 2022. But Lue lost some goodwill last season, with many of his tactics coming under question. While Lue has his flaws as a coach, it certainly hasn’t helped that star players Kawhi Leonard and Paul George continue to be unavailable at crucial points of the season due to injury.

Lue was recently linked to a coaching job elsewhere in the Western Conference, but Haynes reports that no official contact was made with the Clippers in that regard. With rumors already emerging of a supposed disconnect between coach and organization, the 2023-24 campaign is looking like it could be Lue’s last dance in L.A.