Clippers Rumors: Kyrie Irving, Ty Lue's History Wouldn't Impact Pursuit of Nets Star

As speculation continues about Kyrie Irving's contract standoff with the Brooklyn Nets, the Los Angeles Clippers have emerged as a potential suitor for the seven-time All-Star if he decides to play elsewhere.

On the latest episode of The Hoop Collective Podcast (starts at 18:30 mark), Irving and Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue had a "difficult ending" when they were with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but that "would not be an issue" if Irving wants to join the Clippers.

Irving's status has become a major storyline heading into the start of free agency. He has until June 29 to opt out of his $36.5 million salary with the Nets for the 2022-23 season.

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, talks between Irving and the Nets about an extension "have gone stagnant" with the 30-year-old open to considering what other offers might be available to him.

According to Charania, the Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks are among the teams that could have interest in Irving.

In July 2018, one year after Irving was traded by the Cavs to the Boston Celtics, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com recalled a story about how Lue rubbed the seven-time All-Star the wrong way when he was first hired as Cleveland's head coach in January 2016.

"When Ty took the job, the first things he did was he took shots privately and publicly at Kyrie and Kevin [Love], basically telling them, ‘You have to put your brands to the side, defer to LeBron, focus on winning,'" Vardon said in a roundtable discussion (h/t Brad Sullivan of Cavaliers Nation).

Irving was traded by the Cavaliers in July 2017 after requesting a trade. Windhorst reported at the time that Irving wanted to be in a situation that made him more of a focal point and he no longer wanted to play with LeBron James.

Despite the bitter divorce Irving had with the Cavs when Lue was head coach, it doesn't seem like there was any lingering bad blood between the player or coach.

Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports reported in March 2020 that Irving preferred Lue as the Brooklyn Nets head coach after the team fired Kenny Atkinson.

Lue was an assistant with the Clippers on Doc Rivers' staff at the time. Jacque Vaughn, an assistant for Atkinson, took over as interim head coach in Brooklyn for the rest of the season before Steve Nash was hired in September 2020.

The Clippers hired Lue as their head coach in October 2020 after Rivers stepped down. He has an 89-65 record with one playoff appearance in two seasons with Los Angeles.

Irving averaged 25.2 points and 5.8 assists with a 40.1 three-point percentage in 72 starts during his one full season with Lue as head coach in Cleveland (2016-17).