The Los Angeles Clippers are doing their utmost to keep prying eyes away from their team this off-season.
The Clippers are planning on pursuing an extension with head coach Tyronn Lue before he has a chance to hit the open market following the 2024-25 season, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Lue is set to enter the final year of a five-year contract signed back in 2020 next season and has already had his name floating in rumours for potential vacancies around the league.
Notably, the L.A. Lakers, who fired head coach Darvin Ham on Friday, are expected to pursue Lue should he become available or if he and the Clippers are unable to reach an extension this summer.
Lue, 47, worked with Lakers superstar LeBron James during his time in Cleveland, winning a championship together in 2016. It was also reported by Wojnarowski that the Lakers offered Lue a job back in 2019 but the two sides couldn't agree on terms.
In his time with the Clippers, Lue has been to the playoffs three times, making it as far as the Western Conference Finals in 2021. He's dealt with a rash of injuries to superstars like Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in that time but has helped the Clippers to the sixth-best record since 2020-2021 (184-134).
According to Wojnarowski, along with Lue, the Clippers are hoping to re-sign impending free agents James Harden and George as the team gets set to move into a new arena next season.
Following the Clippers' Game 6 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the first round, eliminating them from the post-season, Lue was asked about Wojnarowski's report. He said that he hopes to remain with the team for a long time and cited his relationships with the front office and ownership, according to ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk.
He added that the Clippers are where he wants to be and that he doesn't like bouncing around.
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