Tyronn Lue Rejects Lakers' 3-Year $18 Million Offer, New Candidates Identified

The Los Angeles Lakers are back to square one in their search for a new head coach after Tyronn Lue – the favorite for the vacant position – walked away as talks reached an impasse. They could not come to an agreement with regard to the length and value of the contract while there was also some disagreement on the personnel front as well.

ESPN’s Dave McMenamin revealed Wednesday that Lue and the Lakers could not come to an agreement on the length and value of the deal and his representatives turned the Lakers’ offer of a three-year deal worth around $18 million. Lue’s representatives were said to want a longer deal somewhere in the region of five-years and a salary fit for a championship winning coach.

“Ty Lue and his reps turned down the Lakers’ offer Tuesday, per league sources. LAL regrouped with an offer in the range of 3 years, $18 million today. Lue’s side pulled out of negotiations. Lue’s camp seeking 5 year deal with salary commensurate with championship resume,” McMenamin wrote.

There were other factors also that played a role in the Lakers and Lue walking away after many reports put him as the favorite to take over the Lakers reins from Luke Walton. FS1’s Nick Wright reported that owner Jeanie Buss and general manager Rob Pelinka had signed off on hiring Lue, but former Lakers player-turned-advisor Kurt Rambis, who has played an increasingly important role since the departure of Magic Johnson and his wife Linda were opposed to the signing and convinced Buss to hold off, which led to the collapse in talks.

The Lakers and Lue are also said to have disagreed on the coaching staff with the former insisting that Jason Kidd, who had also interviewed for the head coaching role, be given the post of top assistant, but the latter wanted former Orlando Magic coach Frank Vogel as his top assistant, according to the New York Times’ Marc Stein.

LeBron James is also said to have been on the board and favored Lue over the other candidates owing to the relationship from their time together with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The two won the NBA championship together for James’ hometown franchise in 2016.

Lue seemed to have a clear path to the Lakers head coaching role after the other finalist Monty Williams reportedly reached an agreement to take over the reins in Phoenix. But they will now begin looking at other options with the New York Times reporting that Vogel, Mike Woodson, the former New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks coach and Lionel Hollins, the former Brooklyn Nets and Memphis Grizzlies coach, will be interviewed for the head coaching position.