Restructuring the Clippers: Ty Lue's Vision for a New Era
The LA Clippers face a transformative offseason, guided by the strategic mind of head coach Ty Lue. Following the departure of Paul George to the Philadelphia 76ers on a four-year, $212-million deal, Lue is embarking on a significant restructure to his squad. This pivotal change has necessitated a thorough reimagining of their approach.
"When you lose a guy of Paul George's stature, instantly people [think] oh, they can't win or they're not going to be competitive,” Lue acknowledges. However, the coach’s philosophy revolves around collective effort, a ‘by committee’ mindset. "That just challenges me even more. OK, people are counting us out or people don't think we're going to be good. That right there just gives me an extra dose of [motivation]. I can't wait to prove everybody wrong.”
To fill the void left by George, the Clippers have acquired defensive stalwarts Derrick Jones Jr., Nicolas Batum, and Kris Dunn. Each player brings strong defensive capabilities, crucial in the Clippers’ new dynamic. "When you lose an important piece like Paul, you gotta do it by committee,” Lue explains. "He's a very huge defensive player for us, handling the ball, scoring the basketball, making plays. So losing him is going to be tough.”
Integral to this transformation is the addition of Jeff Van Gundy as Lue’s top assistant and defensive coordinator. Van Gundy, returning to an NBA sideline after 17 years, is known for his unfiltered insights. "Jeff is not afraid to share his opinion. It was just a great move,” notes Mark Few, reflecting on Van Gundy's upcoming role.
Lue, who served as Team USA's defensive coordinator during the Olympics, praises Van Gundy's relentless dedication to the game. "He's like Russell Crowe in 'A Beautiful Mind,’” says Erik Spoelstra, depicting Van Gundy’s deep strategic understanding. Lue also commends Van Gundy’s commitment, stating, "He's a basketball film rat. He's calling me, asking me questions, offensively, defensively, all the different things about game 17 [of last season]. I don't remember that s---. But he's locked into all that."
Lue views Van Gundy’s addition as vital to the Clippers' success. "That's what we need. Losing PG, starting over with a younger team and doing things the right way — it's going to take both of us to really get our guys on track. The addition of Jeff is going to be huge for us. The pieces that we added this year, we got to play a different style. But we're going to play winning basketball and I know we're going to have a chance to be pretty good."
One notable factor in the Clippers’ future performance hinges on the health of Kawhi Leonard. Leonard played 68 of the first 74 games in the 2023-24 season but was sidelined by a late-season knee injury. However, Lue reassures that Leonard will be ready for Clippers' training camp. "I speak to him all the time. He'll be ready for [Clippers] training camp. He's feeling good and I know he'll be ready."
With these strategic moves and fresh talent, the Clippers are positioned to overcome significant odds. “We're going to play winning basketball, and I know we're going to have a chance to be pretty good. It's going to be my job to make sure we get to that point — whatever I have to do," Lue asserts. With Lue at the helm and Van Gundy by his side, the Clippers aim to turn skepticism into accolades, signaling a new chapter in LA basketball.