The Clippers met this week with representatives for head coach Tyronn Lue to discuss his future with the team, league sources tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.
With rumors circulating that the Suns are interested in hiring Lue away from their division rivals, there have been some questions about the coach’s future in Los Angeles. According to Haynes, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is a “huge fan” of Lue and has a great relationship with him, so there’s certainly no indication that the team wants to move on from Lue.
As Haynes writes, Lue has two years remaining on his contract with the Clippers, which pays him about $7MM per year. If the two sides decide they want to amend that agreement, they would likely work out an all-new deal rather than negotiating a contract extension, Haynes adds.
Here’s more from Haynes:
- The Suns are considered likely to guarantee Chris Paul‘s salary for 2023/24, league sources tell Haynes. Paul’s $30.8MM cap hit is currently partially guaranteed for $15.8MM. The 38-year-old is considered a trade candidate, but Haynes hears that Phoenix is “currently of the mindset” that CP3 will be the team’s starting point guard when the ’23/24 season gets underway.
- Kevin Young will interview for the Suns‘ head coaching job as early as next week, according to Haynes, who says Young – an assistant on Monty Williams‘ staff for the last three seasons – appears to have the backing of several Phoenix players.
- Confirming prior reports, Haynes says the Trail Blazers are expected to make the No. 3 overall pick available for trade, though the club is also examining the players who may be available at that spot in the draft. Damian Lillard has let the front office know that he wants the focus to be on acquiring veterans who can help Portland win now, and he and the front office seem to be on the same page, Haynes adds.
- In case you missed it, Haynes also reported that James Harden intends to decline his player option with the Sixers in search of a long-term deal.
Seriously, who is Dame going to recruit to join him? With how stacked the west is, vets are either joining the upper echelon west teams or going to the east. Portland ain’t winning a title anytime soon.
Julius Randall lol
Lillard doesn’t have to recruit anyone. All that matters is that some disgruntled star wants out or some other team decides that a 6’2″ PG with a flawed jumper is worth building around.
Curious why you refer to him having a “flawed” jumper? He’s shooting 46/37/89 this use and , aside from last injury played season, those miners are consistent with the last 6-7 seasons.
Flawed jumper… wow. I can hear age, lack of defense, fat contract, and being part of back-to-back tanked seasons – but Lillard has a flawed jumper? That’s one hot take.
Embiid for pick #3 sharpe Simmons and nurkic. Probably won’t happen
But the speculation has begun about embiid future.
Idk
why would the suns want a coach they literally just beat
Connect my friend. Lue didn’t have Kawhi nor Paul George in the playoffs.
Meant “context”. Sorry
Portland,
Simons and Nurkic for Ayton
Dame Sharpe Miller Grant Ayton
They also have picks 23 and 43.
Be aggressive if you can in FA bringing solid role players no so much young guys. But overall, Id try build this competitive team to please Dame but ultimately you have to also build for the future knowing Dame is older now. Your young core would be Sharpe Miller and Ayton which sets you up really well.
If Ayton with better players around him couldn’t get it done why would it magically work in Portland? I see him being even less motivated to fight through the long losing stretches they’ll inevitably have. No thank you!
Ayton needs a coach that says to the point guard “See that reallllllly tall Black guy with the Caribbean accent? Pass him the ball in the post at least 15x a game. He shoots well over 55% and can make your game easier”.
For the record I’m not saying Ashton is the missing piece but it’s insane for him to only get 5 or 6 plays run for him in a game and expect him to clean up the boards enough to be a 25 ppg scorer. He’s got some post moves and needs the ball passes to him to keep him engaged and do the dirty work. Playing alongside Durant, Booker and Paul isn’t bringing out the best in him and the Sund would be better served getting a cheaper guy like a Mitchell Robinson, Looney or Clacton if all they really want from a big is rebounding.
When I think core I think solid
Ayton is mashed potatoes where someone forgot to add the buttermilk
As Lil D says if the 2nd rd cant motivate him how’s Por going to?
When you see a center that shows he can score and averages almost 60% shooting from the field yet only gets 10 shots per game can you take day he’s not scoring much because he’s not motivated? He’s on a team where he’s got ball dominant shooters like Booker, Durant, etc
Y’all are to quick to get on someone’s back. Yes he underperformed in the playoffs but I don’t think that teams really built for him to succeed. He’s a bully in the post, midrange area and instead of giving him spacing they have 3 high volume mid range shooters in CP3 Book and KD. Not to mention a lot of the shots centres get these days come from point guards throwing up pins and looking to get guys involved. As CP3 decline, Ayton declined and Booker and KD weren’t looking to get him involved they look to score.
Portland on the other hand are coached up Billups who was a great facilitator and looks to get guys going. Dame although not a great facilitator isn’t exactly a high usage I need the ball all the time kinda guy either. Dame would provide Ayton the spacing too and allow him to get loads of touches were he wants them. Miller and Grant on the wings also very efficient floor spacers so he should have a lot of room to operate.
Yes he needs to work on a lot of areas of his game but he’s still young and will get better. I could see him being a 22-12 guy in Portland easy
POR is now on the clock. The Cronin era has been defined by a lack of direction (mediocre basketball decisions too, but that’s another issue) and rhetoric inconsistent with their stated goal (putting a championship level team around Dame).
Anyway, they now have an asset that carries a trade value that could possibly net them a co-star for Dame. But not one (like the #1 overall) that’s likely to net them a player who’s timeline will allow him to be that co-star within Dame’s prime. Put up or shut up time. Either way, be honest with the player you claim to love so much.
I want to trade Lue to Suns for an unprotected First via third team
Steve Kerr to Bucks for an unprotected First via third team
I want to trade Draymond and Kerr to Suns for Ayton