Cleveland Cavaliers Coach Tyronn Lue Gets $35M Contract Extension: Should LeBron James Get Credit?


Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue has reportedly agreed to a five-year, $35 million contract extension.

The 39-year-old former first round draft pick led the Cleveland Cavaliers to an NBA championship after only working as the team’s head coach for four months.

[Photo by Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Images]
However, Tyronn started making headlines with the Cavaliers long before the team’s epic Game 7 win against the Golden State Warriors.

When the Cleveland Cavaliers first brought Lue on-board as an associate head coach in 2014, Tyronne received a four-year, $6.5 million deal.

According to CBS Sports, Lue’s deal marked the highest contract for an assistant coach in the history of the NBA. His deal was revised after he became the team’s head coach in January – filling the position left vacant by David Blatt. The revised deal allowed Tyronn to receive a prorated $3 million payment for the 2015-16 year followed by another $3 million next season. In addition to a team option for the 2017-18 season, the revised deal also offered Tyronn Lue a bit of a raise with a $3.5 million income.

Fortunately for Tyronn, according to ESPN, he did not sign the contract – leaving himself available for the impressive $35 million contract extension he recently received from the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Most fans, critics, and even players on the Cavaliers’ roster would agree that LeBron James played an instrumental role in bringing his hometown team a championship this season. To say that his opinion of the team’s head coach would mean a lot to the team owners and upper management, therefore, would be a major understatement.

[Photo by Ron Schwane/AP Images]
Again, fortunately for Tyronn Lue, LeBron James has spoken very highly of his head coach in recent months. One of the things that David Blatt lacked during his tenure as the Cavaliers head coach was the top-notch basketball IQ that LeBron James brought to the table.

The fact that Tyronn matched LeBron in this regard may have commanded James’ respect from the start. The three-time NBA champion did not hesitate to speak highly of Tyronn during an interview with Cleveland.

“I knew what he was capable of. I’ve had a long history with Coach Lue…. I just always believed he was ready for the moment if the moment presented itself. I was just hoping we didn’t lose him to another team. That was my thing, because I knew he was next in line [for a head job]. I was just hoping we didn’t lose him to somebody else and obviously he’s shown how valuable he is.”

LeBron James was not the only player on the Cavaliers’ roster to speak highly of Tyronn Lue. According to Real GM, James Jones referenced the way that other people respond to Tyronn Lue when complimenting his head coach.

“You can tell a lot about a person by the way people respond to them. On this team, guys are laying it on the line. I don’t know if you notice in games, but our guys are reaching levels physically that they haven’t reached in two years.”

Chances are that LeBron James will re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Having a head coach with LeBron James’ stamp of approval will more than likely play a significant role in that decision-making process. Securing a long-term deal with Tyronn Lue may have provided the Cleveland Cavaliers with the insurance that they needed to keep LeBron James on the roster for many years to come.

[Photo by Ron Schwane/AP Images]

Share this article: Cleveland Cavaliers Coach Tyronn Lue Gets $35M Contract Extension: Should LeBron James Get Credit?
More from Inquisitr