The first real Clippers’ news in a while dropped today with the report by Woj and Shams, quickly confirmed by the Clippers, that Ty Lue has been extended by the Clippers as their head coach for the next five years, through the 2029 season. This has been rumored for a while, and the Clippers finally got a deal done.

In terms of money, coach deals are rarely truly fully known, but both Woj and Shams have reported that the new deal will pay Ty around $14M per year, making the whole deal around $70M. This is pretty much in line with the new coaching salary ranges that were brought about by Monty Williams’ massive deal in Detroit last summer. Ty will be making less than Monty, Steve Kerr, Gregg Popovich, and Erik Spoelstra, but more than most of the “older” coaching deals. I don’t really care much about coaching salary, as it doesn’t impact the salary cap or any other team building activities, but is purely out of the ownership wallet. Still, a reasonable deal for Ty.

The more interesting element of this deal isn’t the annual value, but the length. Kawhi Leonard, famously, was extended for three more seasons. Paul George, equally famously, is looking for a four-year deal but the Clippers want to keep him on Kawhi’s timeline with a three-year contract. Thus, Ty Lue signing a deal for two years longer than the Clippers’ superstar is fascinating. It would indicate, as Lawrence Frank said in the press release, that the Clippers want Ty to be their head coach for a “very long time”. Or, more bluntly, they see him sticking beyond this core.

What does this mean for the rest of the Clippers’ offseason? In the Woj piece, he mentioned the Clippers are “determined” to bring James Harden and Paul George back. Meanwhile, Shams and Law Murray have both hinted that an Ivica Zubac extension (well deserved for the big fella) could be next. It therefore looks a whole lot like the Clippers are bringing the band back together, at least the true key pieces to the team. All the reporting is that Harden will be back. PG is more up in the air, but recent rumors would seem the wind is blowing towards his return as well.

What do I actually think about the Clippers bringing back Ty Lue? I think many things, but don’t want to get too sidetracked. Ty Lue is nearly impossible to judge, as he was brought in to help the Clippers win a championship, yet has not had his superstar player available to close the playoffs in any of his four seasons with the team. He was promoted over Doc Rivers due to his tactical abilities in the playoffs, yet has only had three series – his first three, in 2021 – where tactics played a big role.

Overall, I think Ty Lue was pretty good in 2021, very good holding a battered team together in 2022, abysmal in 2023, and decent this year. That averages out to a solid tenure, with the somewhat worrying note that his first two seasons were much better than his last two. He’s had some awful decisions regarding rotations, but also seems to be well liked and respected by just about every player who comes through the door. That matters, a lot.

Ultimately, while I think Ty Lue is overrated by the broader NBA media – the terms “elite” and “top 3 coach” get thrown around a lot and he has not justified those in the past couple years – I also think the past few seasons’ failures are more on the front office than on him. I totally understand people who want fresh voices across the board, and sympathize. If the Clippers had moved on from Ty, I would have been on board, depending on who the replacement was. I do still see the vision though to some extent, and Ty returning for me seemed inevitable. Hopefully he lives up to the new deal.

Congrats to Ty Lue on the extension and keep an eye out for further Clippers’ news in the coming weeks. There is a lot still on the docket!

Clippers Sign Ty Lue to 5 Year Extension
Robert Flom

Well, I was not expecting to get news about the Suns being interested in obtaining Clippers coach Ty Lue on a random Saturday evening, but here we are. The Suns fired two-time coach of the year winner Monty Williams a couple hours ago, and within an hour of that, Marc Stein, formerly of ESPN and the New York Times, and one of the more trusted newsbreakers around the NBA, had a tweet up about the Suns interest in Ty Lue.

Shortly thereafter, LA Times beat reporter Andrew Greif more or less corroborated the report:

There are some immediate complications here. Ty Lue is under contract for two more years and a lot of money, for one thing. Trades involving coaches have happened – the Clippers traded for Doc Rivers, of course! – but are rare. Making matters more difficult, the Suns have traded every 1st round pick they possibly could have to the Nets for Kevin Durant. Their 2024 and 2026 picks can’t be moved due to the Stepien rule, though I believe they could turn those into swaps for the Clippers. The Suns also have nearly all of their future 2nds, so a number of those could be moved for Ty. There are workarounds. Ty Lue could also theoretically just negotiate a buyout so he could become “available”, but I’m not sure whether the Clippers would do that.

There is also the matter hinted at in Andrew’s tweet – this being more about Ty Lue’s current contract with the Clippers. Ty Lue is signed through the summer of 2025, which is also when Paul George and Kawhi Leonard’s deals are up (they have player options for 2024-2025). Thus, Ty Lue might want more security with a contract extension considering this whole 213 era – and therefore his gig – have a current shelf life of just two years. While the Suns assuredly have interest, this could also be a bargaining tactic by Lue, who might want more years and more money.

The Clippers’ front office and Ty Lue have maintained that everything has been copacetic despite rumors of a disconnect between them this season. Even if there were strong disagreements (likely), it’s quite possible that things never got truly acrimonious. Still, considering how tough this season was, it’s quite possible Ty Lue does have some desire to move on – and the Suns are a highly desirable landing spot.

Right now, all we know is that the Suns have interest in Ty Lue. We don’t know if that interest is mutual, or if there have been any real discussions around a move. We will do our best to keep you updated as this situation develops.

Suns Reportedly Interested in Ty Lue, Per Marc Stein
Robert Flom

Well it might be a good time to take our emotional temperature….

I’m the eternal Clippers optimist, I’ve ridden with this team since their first day at the Sports Arena in 1984, so I don’t scare very easily.  I even analyzed the back to back overtime losses last week as wins in the grand scheme of things (everyone looks energized, Westbrook looks happy for the first time in two years, these are close/strong/capable games against good teams, this looks like a version of the team we through it could be, blah blah blah).  So on Tuesday night at the Staples Center (yeah, never calling it Crypto, sorry), I happily settled in for the game with my family, buoyed by the last minute news that Ivica Zubac would be back in the lineup and the team is once again injury-free. 

Truth be told, my optimism was short lived.  It was a good start, not everyone doing everything perfectly, but business appeared to be getting handled.  And then in what seemed to be another inevitable collapse, the wheels fell off against a Timberwolves team that really just isn’t that good.  Also, side note, I had forgotten that Austin Rivers even existed until he checked in briefly and not too effectively for Minnesota. 

I don’t need to analyze every detail of what went wrong.  We all saw it.  Every wannabe coach on social media is inevitably throwing blame at Ty Lue, at Marcus Morris, at what seemed to be everyone in a Clippers uniform having 30 turnovers and dishing the ball at least as often to a fan in the crowd or a Timberwolf as to a teammate.  I have opinions too, principally that it’s a mistake to start Marcus Morris over Terance Mann. But I’m not an NBA coach and I don’t for one minute imagine that I know how to do the job better than Ty Lue can or that he is not trying to figure out how to make this work. 

One thing I noticed last night through my grimaces and frustration was that there appeared to be a certain heaviness during parts of the game, like the bounce was missing from some of the players’ steps, or the energy in their movements was a tiny bit off.  I maintain my optimism, but in the basketball part of my life, I’m feeling a little like what I think I saw in the players last night—a little less bouncy, a certain heaviness that is hard to put words to.  I’m practicing some self-care by avoiding Twitter for a day or two, letting everyone calm down and finding some of that spring in my step too.

So I have learned a few things in all these years of being a fan.  First, and this was a big one for me, we are not defined by whether the Clippers win a game or lose a game.  We diehards love this team, but we are good people regardless of what the standings are today.  Sometimes it feels challenging to separate those things.  We watch the game because it’s fun, and because we have developed a supportive community around Clippers basketball, and that is important to remember.

Second, three losses are just a complication, not a catastrophe.  Complications happen, we address them and get better from them.  Not every setback is a catastrophe.  The ridiculously talented players and coaching staff have not forgotten how to play basketball and win games.  (And I’m saying this as much to remind myself as to remind whoever may be reading this.) 

And third, it’s time to move on to the next one.  One thing that is certain about the NBA schedule, and honestly about life in general, is that we can’t change what has already happened, especially since there is going to be a new opportunity right in front of us before you know it.  The Clippers are certainly moving on to prepare for Sacramento and Golden State this week.  And we should too.  It’s all supposed to be fun, so let’s allow it to be.

Do We Panic or Just Breathe Through It
RANDI GEFFNER

The NBA Playoffs are just around the corner and the Clippers find themselves hovering along the top half of the Western Conference standings. With either of the top two seeds within striking distance, the Clips have pieced together a familiar post-all-star break surge. Currently sitting at 42-19, they share an identical record through 61 games as they did in the 2019-2020 season. And while the 2021 Clippers have walked a similar path to get to their record — injuries and player acquisitions/departures — the journey has been quite different. 

EXPERIMENTING

It’s been well-documented by now how the stubbornness of the previous coach impacted the wins and losses throughout both the regular season and the postseason; too much Trezz, not enough Zu, under-utilizing JaMychal as a small-ball center, not staggering Kawhi and PG, etc. Well, the new coaching staff has come in and adapted to the makeup of the team — adjusting to guys’ strengths and implementing different strategies throughout the season to find what is and is not tangible.

One such implementation has been playing small, which has become a regularity in Clippers games this season; so much so that sometimes it can even feel like too much, especially now with the back injury that has shelved Serge Ibaka for quite some time. Nic Batum and Morris Sr. have had their share of minutes at the 5 with Kawhi and PG sliding down a position at times — things that were previously unheard of — and conversely have seen big lineups that featured PG as the defacto point guard while accompanied by Leonard, Morris, Batum, and Zubac. 

We also can’t forget about the decision by the staff to dedicate specific periods of time towards lineup evaluations. The decision to end the three-guard lineup experiment has been the most noteworthy, but more general experiments and changes like Nic Batum starting and then moving to the bench, or Terance overtaking Luke’s role off the bench, have been appreciated as a fan. Even something as general as switching pick-and-roll defenses throughout the season has been an ongoing process that the staff is observing over time. These examinations have been especially satisfying as the Clippers once again have had to face the battle of overcoming injuries.

WINNING WITHOUT PAT / FUNCTIONING DEPTH

Speaking of dealing with injuries, the Clippers have been dealt another bad hand in the 2021 season, and coach Lue has had to get creative with the ever-changing lineups — 22 starting lineups to be exact. When you combine that with the mid-season acquisition of Rajon Rondo, and to a lesser extent DeMarcus Cousins and Yogi Ferrell, the cohesion and chemistry on the court remains a bit of a long-term concern — things that have been detrimental to Clippers teams of the past decade.

So, coming into the season, if you would have told me that Pat would miss 29 of the team’s last 30 games I would have figured the 2021 Clippers would be in a world of trouble based on how they fared without him last season. He hasn’t been as missed this time around. And by no means am I writing this with any disrespect towards the great Patrick Beverley or rejecting his importance to the team. I simply must recognize how night and day different these two seasons have been with him out of the lineup. If you include the final two games of the 2019-2020 regular season in which the Clippers’ opponents were resting their starters and other key players ahead of the playoffs, the Clippers ended the regular season at 11-10 without Pat — slightly above .500, including suffering some incredibly embarrassing losses to inferior teams. Fast forward to this season and the Clips are 20-9 without him, and you can attribute much of that to the guys who have stepped into his minutes — leading into my next and most important explanation of the Clippers.

ACTUAL FUNCTIONING DEPTH

Probably the biggest thing that plays into the differences between teams is the overachieving of expectations that almost every player has surpassed this season. Sure, one might see the departures of former sixth men of the year winners Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell and conclude that the team’s depth took a major hit, but the Clippers’ complimentary/depth pieces have played much better than anyone might have expected.

I’m not here to bash last year’s team too much, but I must ask how much of last season’s disappointment had to do with the Clippers not maximizing their talent? We had high hopes for Landry Shamet who never found a comfortable fit in the rotation, a guy like Rodney McGruder who didn’t play well and eventually fell out of the rotation, and even current Clippers Marcus Morris Sr. and Reggie Jackson who never really found their way in what would end up being an awkward season to adjust for mid-season acquisitions. Replace the 2020 versions of the latter two with the 2021 versions and what you’re getting is exceeding what you had envisioned. Add onto that the revival of Nic Batum and the development of Terance Mann and you’re looking at a roster that has a real argument to go nine or ten players deep in any given playoff game.

In closing, nothing that I’ve written guarantees that the 2021 Clippers will have a greater or different outcome than in past seasons, but that the process should leave us a bit more optimistic regarding their chances.

2021 Clippers: Progress in the Process
Cole Huff

“The Clippers blew a 3-1 lead.” 

For the past two months (five years if you want the painful truth), that line has been tweeted, blogged, podcasted, memed, and permanently branded onto the broken hearts of disappointed Clippers fans around the world. There were excuses — some valid, others inexcusable. But no matter how it’s sugar coated or how the blame is distributed, the facts remain: the Clippers underperformed and came up drastically short of their end goal, no matter what Paul George says. 

As a result, Steve Ballmer made organizational changes. He and former head coach Doc Rivers agreed to mutually part ways, leading to the official promotion of former Clippers assistant Ty Lue to head coach. Just Sunday evening, Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Clippers color commentator announcer and All-Star point guard Chauncey Billups and longtime NBA coach Larry Drew are finalizing deals to join Lue’s staff. Additionally, there have been rumors from Marc Stein that former Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson and vaunted Heat assistant Dan Craig are likely to join the staff as well (with Craig all but confirmed). Not only are these all important additions for the Clippers coaching staff, but they also offer interesting player connections that could facilitate the signing of free agents.

Ty Lue (featuring Larry Drew)

Lue has been around the NBA since he began his professional career as a point guard in 1998. As a player, he would suit up for seven teams throughout his eleven seasons in the league. He then transitioned to the sidelines in 2011, where he has since coached as an assistant, associate, and head coach for three different teams to this day. Lue has worked with his fair share of players throughout the years as both a coach and as a player, and among those players there may be one that could potentially be a great addition to the Clippers.

Backup Center:

Nothing has been publicly reported or confirmed, but those who pay attention to the Clippers’ front court situation are speculating that Montrezl Harrell will be playing for another team this upcoming season, as his fit and role were questionable during the past season. He doesn’t seem to be the answer going forward. If that’s indeed how it ends up playing out, the Clippers will be in need of a bench big man that can bring a positive impact over both the regular season and postseason. 

Tristan Thompson is a big name that comes to mind. The fit makes a lot of sense: he is a guy with defensive versatility that could contribute 20-25 minutes any given night with the capability to starting and/or close out games. Most importantly, both Lue and Larry Drew coached Thompson in Cleveland for five seasons, with Thompson being the starting post presence for four consecutive finals appearances, including a championship in 2016. Of course, he will have other suitors that could offer similar, if not more, than the Clippers, but between the familiarities with Lue and Drew and the championship aspirations of both parties involved, the situation would be a win for both the Clippers and Thompson.

Dan Craig

Many of us had hoped that Dan Craig, former assistant of the Miami Heat, would be interviewed for the head coaching vacancy, so it was a pleasant surprise when it was reported by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald that Craig would be joining Lue’s coaching staff as an assistant. Craig worked for seventeen seasons as a part of the Miami Heat organization, one of the most successful and respected organizations in American professional sports over that period. We have an idea of the significance that he will bring to the Clippers coaching staff from an X’s and O’s standpoint, but he can also be key in bringing in free agents this offseason due to his relationships with players during his time in Miami. 

Playmaking Point Guard:
It has been said in recent weeks that Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has made it known that he is “clamoring” for upgraded playmaking in the backcourt. Although it’s unclear exactly of the source in that rumor, it’s common sense to anyone who watched a Clippers game last season that the team could use more playmakers at the point guard position. For that to happen, the Clippers would likely have to explore the trade market since there aren’t many realistic options in the free agent pool. I recognize that this could seem like a bit of a long shot, but I would keep an eye on Goran Dragic as a sleeper free agent option. 

Craig and Dragic have been together in Miami since Dragic was acquired at the 2014-2015 trade deadline. The pairing made an unexpected Finals appearance this past season, and perhaps the relationship materialized strongly enough along the way to earn the Clippers a serious shot at the 34-year-old Slovenian point guard. Given the complexities of the Clippers’ financial situation, it would probably take a multi-year deal to get the ball rolling, but it would be worth exploring for Dragic’s scoring and playmaking as a lead guard.

Kenny Atkinson (featuring Larry Drew)

It is rumored, but not confirmed, that former Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson could joining the Clippers’ bench as another key addition to Ty Lue’s coaching staff. As head coach during the 2018-2019 season, Atkinson was able to lead an overachieving Nets team to the seventh seed in the eastern conference playoffs. Perhaps more importantly, for the sake of this article, he was able to help orchestrate three successful Atlanta Hawks playoff runs during his three seasons there, including a first place, 60-win 2015-2016 campaign before being outed in the conference finals. Over the past six seasons (three in Brooklyn Nets, three in Atlanta), Atkinson has had his hand in helping develop some free agents who could slide comfortably into a variety of roles with the Clippers — if he indeed joins Lue’s Clippers coaching staff.

Guard/Wing Depth:

If you take rumors seriously regarding the Clippers being in the trade market for top rotational players, you also have to consider how that could affect their depth. Between Lou Williams’ $8 million salary and Landry Shamet’s “young-talent” attraction, it’s possible either of the two could be included in any trade deals, leaving a vacancy on the L.A. bench. A few former Hawks and Nets rotational players would be interesting addition as bench reserves. 

Kyle Korver, despite his age, is still shooting lights out, and has been consistently healthy throughout his 17-year career. Korver had his best seasons during his time in Atlanta under the lead coaching of Larry Drew for a season, and in the following seasons wasn’t shy to mention how important assistant coach Atkinson had been in his decision to re-sign with the Hawks during his free agency after the 2015-16 campaign. He wouldn’t be quite as versatile or as good as Shamet if he were to completely replace him in the lineup, but he could fulfill similar needs and could even play a smaller role alongside Shamet at times at the forward position due to his 6’7 build. It’s unforeseen at this point how much Korver would add to the bench, but his shooting, and more importantly veteran presence, would be especially welcomed in this L.A. locker room.

Kent Bazemore’s pursuit by the Clippers would likely be for a role as an 8th-10th man rotational player, giving strong bench depth. Clipper fans may largely remember Bazemore in one of two ways: that guy on the Golden State Warriors bench who famously trolled Blake Griffin for shooting a three-pointer off the side of the backboard a while back, or the random Sacramento Kings player who came in off the bench and destroyed the Clippers for 23 points back in February. Either way you see it, he became a valuable rotational player on those Atkinson assisted Atlanta playoff teams, and has since built out a solid NBA career. He too gave credit for his development as a player to Atkinson, and was often linked to the Nets as a potential trade target for the years Atkinson was the Brooklyn coach. It wouldn’t be a splashy signing, but Bazemore could be what McGruder was originally brought in to be as a feisty “3-and-D” wing with some guard capabilities.

As recently as last week, there was some speculation that the Brooklyn Nets will not pick up Garrett Temple’s option for the 2020-2021 season. It was a bit unfortunate to see him depart Los Angeles for Brooklyn this past season, but it was great to see him have success there under Atkinson’s system, albeit briefly. Temple’s role would be similar to the role he had on both the Nets and on the Clippers during his brief stint in 2018-2019: defend multiple wing positions, play in transition, and be a floor-spacer — things he has carved out a career doing. Not to mention, he would bring a veteran leadership and a valuable voice to the locker room as Vice President of the NBPA.

CONCLUSION

We now have an exact date of when the 2020-2021 season will tip off, and we are awaiting a bit more clarity regarding the starting period of free agency.  Don’t pencil in any of these free agents as future Clippers, but also don’t be surprised if any of these guys get a look. Having a Clippers coaching staff who are well-traveled and highly-respected could be an added bonus in attracting free agents for this season and those that follow.

Clippers New Coaching Staff Might Attract Free Agents
Cole Huff

It’s been a few days since the news broke that the Clippers were bringing on Ty Lue as their head coach, with Larry Drew and Chauncey Billups being his likely lead assistants. Now that we’ve had some time to process, it’s time for grading the Ty Lue hire, as well as assessing his leading men.

Cole Huff: Ty Lue, B+; Chauncey Billups and Larry Drew, A-

The Clippers go the safe route in hiring Ty Lue – but safe is likely wise in this instance. In perhaps the biggest season in Clippers history, the Clippers have a guy who already has the pulse of the team, and has championship experience as former player and more recently as a head coach. If Lue can incorporate his offensive sets, while bringing his ability to be flexible and spontaneous in incorporating game plans as he did in Cleveland’s championship runs, the Clippers will be in good shape.

Billups gets to play the role of lead assistant for his first coaching gig and I couldn’t be more excited. Between his experience and pedigree as a player and Larry Drew’s long resume as a player and coach, the Clippers will have a plethora of basketball expertise flowing throughout the facilities.

Thomas Wood: Shrug

I have no idea how to grade coaching hires, especially on the day of. Other writers on this site with a deeper reserve of tactical knowledge (and time) can elucidate what this means schematically, and even that’s just a fraction of a coach’s responsibilities. Sometimes you’re the Magic and you hire Frank Vogel, and sometimes you’re the Lakers and you hire Frank Vogel. I don’t trust my ability to immediately spot the difference. For any hire short of Phil Jackson or Bill Belichick, I’ll just wait and see.

Kenneth Armstrong: B

I like Ty Lue and I think reshuffling the rest of the assistant staff is smart, but the Clippers lose points for lack of creativity. Ty also needs to articulate to Clippers fans (I assume he convinced Ballmer) why he should not be complicit in the failures of last season.

Erik Olsgaard: Ty Lue, A-; Chauncey Billups, B; Larry Drew, Shoe

Since Doc resigned, I felt the Clippers’ replacement needed to be someone who could match Doc as a player’s coach, fighting in the trenches with the team during these times of political and social unrest, but who would also be an upgrade on strategy and execution that values analytics and makes in-game adjustments. After I read rumors that Kyrie’s beef with Ty in Cleveland may have stemmed from Kyrie ignoring Lue’s analytics-based advice, and tweets from much smarter people than me raving about his X’s and O’s, I knew Ty Lue was the only real choice. 

We’ve all had the pleasure of hearing Chauncey as an in-game commentator for a couple seasons now, and he’s always had great insight, intricately detailing how he thinks the Clippers should adjust throughout the game (truly the NBA’s Tony Romo). I’m really sad to lose him as a commentator, but I think he’ll be valuable on the bench. Of course, he’s also an unproven quantity, so that’s why I’ll temper my high expectations with a B-grade.

I know nothing about Larry Drew. I barely remember him as an Eastern Conference coach, but he does have a ton of experience which balances nicely with Chauncey being a newcomer. However, since I am absolutely miserable to see Sam Cassell is no longer one of the lead assistants, I am boycotting this grade and will instead give Larry a grade of “shoe”.

Joey Linn: B

While I would have preferred a more innovative move that did not involve internal hires, I am cautiously optimistic about what Ty Lue can bring next season. The biggest driving force of my optimism is Lue’s reputation of malleability, which was Doc’s shortcoming that ultimately led to the historic collapse last postseason.

Shapan Debnath: Ty Lue, A-; Chauncey Billups, B; Larry Drew, B+

I’ve talked myself into the Ty Lue hire more and more, especially after hearing Cavs beat guy Justin Rowan on an episode of TLTJTP right before this hire. I’m excited about his voice with our stars and his tactical changes as the season goes on. Plus, the guy has undeniable pedigree with the Cavs.

I’m probably giving Chauncey a higher grade just because I’ve enjoyed his color commentary, even though I don’t think it should be a huge rubric for his future coaching performance. It’s nice to have a former finals MVP on the coaching staff for a team that could use a strong voice.

Larry Drew is a guy with a nice amount of pedigree to offset the lack of pedigree from Billups. Seems like a nice guy to have after your head coach.

Robert Flom: Ty Lue, B+: Chauncey Billups, B-; Larry Drew, B+

On one hand, Ty Lue was the lead assistant for a Clippers team that completely collapsed in the playoffs, and with a huge chunk of the blame falling on the coaching staff. Then again, his very closeness to Doc Rivers meant he might not have wanted to push too hard on Doc’s opinions – by all accounts, they have very different coaching philosophies. Ty is someone who has held superstars like LeBron James accountable, made crucial adjustments in playoff series, and has been responsible for excellent offenses and defense. He’s a very good coach who was probably the best hire, even if I have some concerns regarding his ties to the previous staff.

It’s hard for me to get too worked up about assistant coaches. While I thought Billups was a fine color commentator, some of his opinions on the ESPN studio left me scratching my head (at best), which makes me a bit wary of his takes on the modern NBA. That said, he’s a legendary NBA figure known for his leadership and smarts, and should be able to connect well with the players on the team due to his recent playing experience. Larry Drew, meanwhile, has been a coach in the NBA for nearly 30 years, for a wide variety of teams and systems. His vast experience (including some decent head coaching stints) is very nice to have, especially with Billups (and even Lue) being so green.

213Hoops Roundtable: Grading the Ty Lue Hire
Robert Flom

The Clippers have a new head coach! Dr. Shap, Robert Flom, and Lucas Hann discuss the team’s hiring of Ty Lue, as well as the reported chemistry issues in LAC’s locker room that emerged in the reporting around the team’s coaching search.

Check out the pod here! Be sure to rate and review us 5 stars on whatever platform you listen to us on, and leave your feedback in the comments below.

213Hoops is an independently owned and operated L.A. Clippers blog by Clippers fans, for Clippers fans. If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our Patreon. Subscriptions start at $1 a month and support from readers like you goes a long way towards helping us keep 213Hoops sustainable, growing, and thriving.

TLTJTP: Ty Lue Hire and Clippers Chemistry Issues
Robert Flom