Tyronn Lue Becomes Middle-Man for Players over Blatt
In his two seasons next to Blatt, Lue was the highest paid assistant coach in the NBA. A former champion with the Lakers, Lue’s experience as a player under Phil Jackson and assistant to coaches such as Doc Rivers made him invaluable to helping the rookie coach understand the nuances of the NBA game.
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While Blatt remained at the helm, Lue’s role as confidante to the players increased his popularity among personnel, including James himself.
In his first press-conference as head coach, Lue stated how he would not do things “differently” as much as “better” than Blatt.
More telling, he stated that he intended to challenge LeBron James and hold him accountable for his play. While this may sound as a standard response about how to treat a superstar player, it is a deliberate move by Lue to send the message that he is not going to be as passive as Blatt.
Lue takes over now as the head coach of the best team in the Eastern Conference and in all likelihood will coach the East in the All-Star Game in Toronto.
With the opportunity to lead a once in a generation talent in James to the NBA Finals, Lue now has a chance to re-write a legacy that so far is defined by two infamous steps by Allen Iverson. To do any of this, he must co-exist with the final point on our list.
Next: The Final Word from the King