Lakers Rumors: Latest Buzz on LA's 2019 Coaching Search, Ty Lue, Frank Vogel

Tyronn Lue was seemingly the favorite for the Los Angeles Lakers coaching job ahead of the 2019-20 season.

Los Angeles was a franchise in flux, with Magic Johnson stepping down as president of basketball operations and former head coach Luke Walton also walking away.

Bill Oram and Joe Vardon of The Athletic reported the Lakers had their sights set on hiring Lue or Monty Williams. When Williams was hired as head coach of the Phoenix Suns, it seemed a matter of time before L.A. hired Lue.

The former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach had won a championship coaching LeBron James in the past, and the Lakers figured to heed James' wishes after a frustrating 2018-19 season.

But the Lakers apparently did everything they could to essentially dissuade Lue from taking the job. They lowballed him with a three-year, $18 million offer, per The Athletic. Lue had reportedly been looking for something in the range of five years and $35 million.

Moreover, Los Angeles' management wanted to handpick the assistants on Lue's staff, which did not sit well with the former point guard. Lue began to feel as if he was not really desired as the team's next head coach.

"Ty felt like they were doing everything in their power to get him to not take the job," one source told The Athletic. "Offer him less years, less money, stir up the pot with some of these other things. They knew they had to interview him because LeBron wanted him, but they were hoping he would walk away."

Lue eventually ended up joining Doc Rivers' staff with the Los Angeles Clippers, while the Lakers hired Frank Vogel.

Los Angeles demanded the same things of Vogel as it did of Lue, with Jason Kidd and Lionel Hollins lined up as assistants and Phil Handy soon to follow. According to Oram and Vardon, Vogel was not perturbed by these demands, instead relishing the opportunity to coach James and compete for a title.

But the former Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic head coach did not take the job before consulting Lue, who had recruited Vogel to be on his staff had he taken the Lakers job.

The Athletic reported Vogel called Lue in May of 2019, and Lue encouraged him to take the job. The rest, as they say, is history.

Vogel presided over a roster that saw the addition of Anthony Davis and defensive-minded players in Danny Green and Dwight Howard. Just as he did in Indiana, Vogel helped transform the Lakers into one of the top defensive teams in basketball.

Los Angeles captured the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and—despite a long hiatus and an unprecedented style of playoff basketball—rode the wave to championship No. 17.

Lue, meanwhile, took the head job with the Clippers this summer after L.A. parted ways with Rivers following an epic collapse in the conference semifinals against the Denver Nuggets.

Conveniently, the two coaches squared off on NBA opening night Tuesday. The Clippers nearly blew a 22-point lead, but a sensational second half from Paul George helped L.A. hang on in Round 1 against its crosstown rival.

Vogel and Lue might otherwise have shared the bench as part of the same staff. Instead, Lue and the Clippers will battle to snatch the crown from Vogel and the Lakers.