With strong confidence in his coaching abilities, LeBron James has played a pivotal role in Ty Lue’s career. Together, the duo made their dreams come true by winning the championship title with the Cavaliers before eventually going their separate ways. Yet, when the possibility of a reunion surfaced during the summer, the Clippers’ head coach turned down the offer. What could have been the reason behind such a decision?

Ty Lue was considered a potential candidate to replace Darvin Ham during the offseason. However, there wasn’t much communication from the Lakers’ side about the situation. After months the full story of what transpired in the discussions came from the man himself on The Stephen A. Smith Show. The 47-year-old emphasized that, at the core, it was about respect. Since LeBron James was with the Cavaliers when they won the championship, many believed that he did everything, Lue certainly acknowledged the notion. However, he felt that his own contributions as head coach were underestimated by the Lakers. He expressed, “I don’t think they had the same respect for me as I felt they should.”

Lue revealed that he was offered a relatively low contract by Jeanie Buss’ Lakers, and accepting it would have set a bad example for others who might follow in his footsteps. “They offered me the job, on a 3 year basis, and they wanted to pick my coaching staff, and I just wasn’t gonna do that. And I think more so, for me to be a championship coach, to take a 3 year deal when everyone else is getting 5 year deals and more money, and then you wanna pick my staff as well,” Lue added, “I just thought that was, you know, a slap in the face. And I think, as a young black head coach, I just thought it was a bad example. I was setting for other guys tone up, you know, after me.”

Lue emphasized that loyalty was important to him. Neither could he bring his coaching staff to the Lakers, nor could he leave them behind without jobs. So, he chose to step away, clarifying, “Lakers didn’t do anything wrong. Like you said, they offered me the job. They chose me to do it, and it was up to me to take the deal. And I just said I respectfully declined.” The coach then reflected on the strong relationships he built at the Clippers and expressed how content he is there. Curious about LeBron’s role in the situation, Stephen A. asked if LeBron could have done more to secure a five-year deal. In response, Lue opened up to state what the 39-year-old actually did.

Ty Lue reveals how LeBron James tried to secure his recruitment

Stephen A. took a sly dig at LeBron, suggesting that despite the superstar’s influence in the franchise, he still couldn’t help Lue secure a better contract. In response, Lue clarified that the four-time champion did his part. “He called me twice,” Lue said stating that LeBron wanted to know how he could get the deal done. “I want them to respect me. How I don’t wanna have to go to you to get my deal done. If they don’t respect me, like I should be respected, then it’s okay,” he added.

Lue then confessed how pissed off LeBron was. “He was mad about it, but him and Rich Paul both stepped up and said, what we gotta do to get it done? And I just didn’t you know, I didn’t like the way it was, it was handled. And so, give Ron credit. Him and Rich Paul both stepped up.” Despite the numerous phone calls to get the deal done, Lue had made up his mind. Finally, the Lakers chose to settle with JJ Redick, and Lue returned to the Clippers.

Tyronn Lue’s ultimate choice to remain with the Clippers reflected his unwavering principles and contentment with his current path. Truly, sometimes, the best decisions are the hardest to make.