Doc Rivers on Tyronn Lue Rumors: 'It's a Joke' He's Not an NBA Head Coach

Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers can't believe Tyronn Lue—the lead assistant on Rivers' staff—hasn't landed a head coaching gig.

"It's a joke that he's not a head coach," Rivers said, per Mark Medina of the USA Today, "but it's to my advantage that he's not."

Lue was close to becoming a head coach last summer, reportedly turning down the job with the Los Angeles Lakers after they wouldn't offer him more than three guaranteed years on his contract, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Instead, he chose to take a role on Rivers' staff, though it was always likely to be a one-and-done assignment. And a number of enticing teams now have coaching vacancies, including the Brooklyn Nets, New Orleans Pelicans, Philadelphia 76ers and Indiana Pacers—and potentially the Houston Rockets if they move on from Mike D'Antoni.

The Nets, Sixers and Pelicans are all reportedly interested in Lue, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post. The Nets have the superstar duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving and a contending roster built around them. The Sixers have Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, though the team is poorly constructed. And the Pelicans, of course, have ascending superstar Zion Williamson and other young stars.

Lue guided the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA title in 2015-16. In addition to his experience working with superstars Irving and LeBron James, another factor that could make him even more intriguing to teams is his relationship with Chauncey Billups, as Wojnarowski reported:

"Teams are aware that Lue has been talking with Chauncey Billups about joining his potential staff as an associate head coach, sources tell ESPN. Billups had been grooming himself for a top front-office role but turned down the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017, and his interest in leaving television for the team side has evolved from the front office to coaching, sources said.

"Owners and executives had courted Billups because of his innate ability to lead men in the NBA, and a belief that his intelligence, instincts and work ethic would translate into front office or coaching—however he decided to proceed. For Billups, an apprenticeship under Lue on a contender likely fast-tracks him into a head-coaching job."

It's just another reason why Lue's time as an assistant will assuredly be short-lived.