Sources – Ty Lue agrees to extend his contract with the Clippers

LA Clippers coach Ty Lue has agreed to a new long-term contract that will make him one of the highest-paid coaches in the NBA, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank were eager to reach a new deal with Lue, and negotiations with his agent, Andy Miller of Klutch Sports, led to a finalized deal in recent days, sources said.

Lue’s deal provides an important element of stability for the Clippers, with some roster uncertainty looming this offseason. During his stops with the Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers, where he won the 2016 NBA championship, Lue established himself as one of the most respected and sought-after coaches in the league.

The Clippers are determined to keep Paul George and James Harden in free agency, and the organization will move into the new, state-of-the-art Intuit Dome for the start of next season.

Lue, who had one year left on his contract, went 184-134 (.579) in his four seasons with the Clippers, which is sixth-best in the NBA over that span, according to ESPN Stats & Information .

Lue led the Clippers to the franchise’s first Western Conference Finals appearance in the 2020-21 season. As a franchise, the Clippers suffered numerous injuries to star players during Lue’s tenure. Kawhi Leonard and George have only been in the lineup for 45% of Lue’s games as Clippers coach. He went 97-47 in those games, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

Lue spent much of his tenure adapting lineups and schemes to work around injuries to his stars. In 2023-24, Lue had to adjust when the Clippers traded for Harden just three games into the season. After the trade, the Clippers lost six games in a row, including five with Harden in the lineup. Ultimately, Lue and the Clippers turned the season around, including a 26-5 run that put them atop the Western Conference standings in early February.

Lue had to adjust again in April when Leonard missed the final eight games of the regular season with inflammation in his right knee. Leonard missed the first game of the playoffs before returning for Games 2 and 3. Leonard’s surgically repaired knee did not respond as the team had hoped, and the Clippers were without him for the rest of the season. one defeat in six games. to the Dallas Mavericks.

Lue is 312-217 (.590) in the regular season and 54-37 overall (.593) in the playoffs during his stops with the Cavaliers and Clippers.