The pros and cons if the New Orleans Pelicans are considering Tyronn Lue for the head coaching vacancy
The New Orleans Pelicans have officially let go of head coach Alvin Gentry after five seasons in the bayou. This means the clock is already ticking for the Pelicans in their hunt for their next head coach.
With one of the youngest rosters in the NBA filled with burgeoning young superstars, this head coaching hire will be one of the factors to determining the success of the team’s new front office.
Committed to building a championship-level team with this young core, team vice president David Griffin and general manager Trajan Langdon will need to consider several factors for their next head coach.
Among the biggest factors will be the coach’s history in player development, their basketball system, and how they will mesh with the young superstars now on the team. Of all the potential candidates being considered for the job, one name stands out, Tyronn Lue.
Almost directly after the news broke about the New Orleans Pelicans parting ways with Alvin Gentry multiple reputable sources put out information that Tyronn Lue would be among the leading candidates for the head coaching vacancy.
Clippers assistant coach Ty Lue and Lakers assistant coach Jason Kidd are expected to be prime candidates for the Pelicans' coaching vacancy, league sources say, with Lue and Kidd also both on the Nets' list of prospective candidates when Brooklyn's search starts in earnest soon
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 15, 2020
This was a very intriguing bit of information to drop because Lue has an obvious connection to the Pelicans after David Griffin gave Lue his first head coaching opportunity during his time as GM for the Cleveland Cavaliers. That decision earned Griffin his first championship in 2016 so why not try to repeat history?
With a strong relationship with Griffin and the New Orleans Pelicans considered as one of the best coaching situations in the NBA, Lue could be on his way to being the next head coach of the team.
Would Lue be the right choice for the team though? Let’s get into the pros and cons of Tyronn Lue’s resume and see what he brings to the table.
Pros: Tyronn Lue Checks Off Some Of The New Orleans Pelicans Biggest Boxes
Let’s start with the best parts of Tyronn Lue’s resume and see how that would fit with the New Orleans Pelicans’ goals for the future. It all starts with winning, during Tyronn Lue’s time as a head coach he held an impressive 128-83 record.
That record was among the best in the league at that time and attached to it came a 41-20 playoff record which included three straight trips to the Finals and a Championship in 2016. If the New Orleans Pelicans are looking to hire a winner there’s no one better than Lue.
Beyond simple wins and losses, the Pelicans should like Lue because of his reputation coaching superstars and his excellent use of schemes.
During Lue’s time in Cleveland, he had to deal with some of the biggest egos in the NBA. Coaching one of the league’s biggest competitors in LeBron James along with one of its most stubborn stars in Kyrie Irving Lue proved he could handle big-name talent.
As a former player himself, Lue is a relatable mind that could come to the New Orleans Pelicans and be able to grab attention and take command of the team’s young stars, something Gentry didn’t always do.
Once the game goes to the court, Lue brings strong traits there as well. A vocal coach from the sidelines, Lue’s time under strong defensive coaches Doc Rivers and Tom Thibodeau made him one of the best coaches when comes to crafting a strong defense.
Many people credit LeBron James for the Cleveland Cavaliers winning the championship in 2016 and rightfully so but it was Lue’s defensive schemes that also played a big part in slowing a historic Golden State Warriors offense down.
Bringing a strong defensive mind to a New Orleans Pelicans team that just finished the season allowing the third-most points in the NBA is an obvious strong point in Lue’s resume.
Cons: the New Orleans Pelicans may have concerns about Tyronn Lue
Even though David Griffin knows Tyronn Lue better than most executives in the league would, there are still some concerns about if Tyronn Lue would fit this New Orleans Pelicans roster.
The concerns start with the reason Lue was let go from Cleveland back in 2019. Even though Griffin wasn’t running the Cavaliers then it’s hard not to mention why the team fired Lue after an 0-6 start to the season.
The Cavaliers had just lost LeBron James and the team was expecting to rebuild with a younger roster. That transition made Cleveland feel that Lue wasn’t the best option to develop a young team for the future. With all the New Orleans Pelicans cornerstones under the age of 25, the concern Cleveland had might apply in the bayou as well.
The New Orleans Pelicans need a coach who is a good teacher and Tyronn Lue just hasn’t shown that he is at the NBA level just yet.
The concerns about Lue continue to one other part of his resume as well which is his offensive philosophy. During Lue’s time coaching in Cleveland, the team’s offense was running through LeBron James. In New Orleans, Lue would have young stars who are still learning about their offensive games. Can Tyronn Lue craft an offensive system that will help young players excel?
That is another question he’d have to answer if the New Orleans Pelicans want him coaching the next era for the team.
Tyronn Lue is a good coach with a strong resume but the New Orleans Pelicans will need to sit down and think about whether Lue’s pros outweigh his cons before they offer him the head coaching position.