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Fired Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue returns to basketball in 'informal role' with Clippers

Former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue is back in basketball, returning to his coaching roots with the man who helped him start his post-playing career.

Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers told the Los Angeles Times on Monday that he’s brought Lue onto his staff in an “informal role.” There aren’t any hard details about what Lue’s role will entail, but Rivers said that Lue will watch the team play and be asked to give his thoughts. “He just watches and if he sees something, he’s just part of the group.”

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Rivers and Lue share a long history and a great friendship. Lue played under Rivers when Rivers coached the Orlando Magic in 2003. Rivers moved on to coach the Boston Celtics shortly after, and Lue followed him there after he retired in 2009. After spending a few years as the Celtics’ director of basketball development, he became an assistant coach, and was once again on Rivers’ staff when he moved to the Clippers.

Tyronn Lue is back in basketball after being fired by the Cavaliers. (Getty Images)
Tyronn Lue is back in basketball after being fired by the Cavaliers. (Getty Images)

When the Cavaliers fired Lue in late October after an 0-6 start, Rivers fiercely defended him, saying that the move made no sense. In an October interview with Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, Rivers talked about how proud he was of what Lue had accomplished.

“Ty Lue, honestly, I literally cried when he won a championship as coach of the Cavs in 2016. I literally coached him for 10 games in Orlando. And I told him, ‘Call me literally the day after you’re cut from the NBA, and that won’t be long from now.’ I actually told him that because he was older. Ty called me and we didn’t have a job open in Boston. I walked into Danny’s office and told him we were hiring Ty Lue. He said, ‘Where?’ I said, ‘I don’t know. We are just going to make room for him because he had whatever ‘it’ is. You could just see it.

He followed me to Boston, then followed me to the Clippers. Then to go to Cleveland and win a title … for me, that was as cool as it was for me to win a title.”

The Clippers have been a pleasant surprise this season. With a 17-13 record, they’re just one game behind the Los Angeles Lakers and 3.5 behind the Golden State Warriors in the Northwest Division, and tied for fifth in the Western Conference. Lue’s experience could help the Clippers maintain their pace — he coached all three of his Cavs teams to the NBA finals, winning it all in 2016.

No one knows what Lue’s future in basketball looks like, but getting back together with Rivers is a great place to start.

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