Lakers Rumors: Tyronn Lue Will Become Los Angeles’ Next Head Coach After Monty Williams Picks Suns

Tyronn Lue and LeBron James — In this picture, head coach Tyronn Lue (L) of the Cavaliers talks with LeBron James of the Lakers after a quarterfinal game of the 2018 NBA Summer League between the Lakers and the Detroit Pistons at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, July 15, 2018. Ethan Miller/Getty Images

When the Phoenix Suns announced Friday morning that they would be hiring Monty Williams to be the next head coach, it became clear who would take over that position for the Los Angeles Lakers. L.A. is expected to name Tyronn Lue as their next coach, replacing Luke Walton.

The Lakers reportedly interviewed several candidates, but Williams and Lue both got second meetings with the team and were atop their wish-list. Multiple reports had indicated that Williams what Los Angeles’ No.1 choice, though Lue might be the best fit for the team.

The Lakers still haven't made Lue an official offer.

The expectation is the Lakers will move toward Ty Lue as head coach, but there's been no offer made to him yet, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 3, 2019

Lue is a more proven head coach than Williams, who never won a playoff series when he was the New Orleans Pelicans' head coach from 2010-2015. Lue has won a championship as a head coach, and most importantly, he did it with LeBron James.

When David Blatt was fired in the middle of the 2015-2016 NBA season as the Cleveland Cavaliers' head coach, it was Lue that took over and led the Cavs past the Golden State Warriors in the finals. Lue and James reached the finals in each of the two next two seasons, going just 1-8 against the Warriors in those series.

Lue was fired only six games into the Cavs' 2018-2019 campaign. James was very vocal about his support of Lue when the coach lost his job.

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