Report: David Griffin wanted to hire former Cavs coach Tyronn Lue before he chose Clippers over Pelicans

By Jason Simpson
Updated: September 22, 2021

According to a report, New Orleans Pelicans executive David Griffin wanted to reunite with former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue in New Orleans before Lue ultimately chose to coach the Los Angeles Clippers.

Griffin and Lue, of course, worked together on the Cavs several years ago.

“By the time bubble play began, it was an open secret Griffin planned to ax [Alvin] Gentry,” wrote Christian Clark of NOLA.com. “It was widely believed Griffin wanted to hire Tyronn Lue, with whom he’d won a championship in 2016. Many in the organization believed a coaching change was necessary — the Pelicans had lost 13 straight games in 2019-20, a franchise record — but some took issue with the way it was handled.

“Two days after the Pelicans’ final bubble game, Gentry was fired. It became clear Lue was going to take the Los Angeles Clippers job, so Griffin had to readjust. After a wide-ranging two-month search, he chose Stan Van Gundy as Gentry’s successor.”

Griffin and Lue accomplished a lot during their time with the Cavs organization. In 2016, the organization won its first title.

Today, Griffin and Lue are in different situations. Griffin is looking to help the Pelicans finally escape the rebuilding stage. Lue, meanwhile, is trying to help the Clippers get over the hump and win an NBA title.

Down the road, perhaps Griffin will try to reunite with Lue again at some point. It certainly seems like he enjoys working with the former Cavs head coach.