LA Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue discusses Paul George leaving and Jeff Van Gundy arriving, as well as the challenges and excitement for the new season as the team prepares to embark on their Hawaii-bound training camp. The Clippers will start preparing for the year led by Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.
Clippers Tyronn Lue Shares Offseason Mood & Training Camp Brief
Ty Lue Feeling Good About His Team
The LA Clippers have endured a shuffling of the deck this summer as the team’s roster lost some key pieces but gained some in the process. Tyronn Lue, head coach of the Clippers, who won a gold medal in this summer’s Olympics as an assistant coach for Team USA, will lead his squad into a new era of Clippers basketball this season as Steve Balmer’s epic vision of an NBA area has come alive and is ready to open for the 2024-25 NBA season.
Tyronn Lue’s attention was keyed in on Team USA and the Paris Olympics for much of this offseason. However, he was engaged and attentive to the moves and happenings back home in LA. Despite the changes, Lue seems optimistic about everything overall.
Hawaii Destined Training Camp
Ty Lue and the Clippers will return to Hawaii for the fifth time since 2017 to conduct their training camp. The team will not only hold its training camp in Hawaii but also face the Golden State Warriors in a preseason matchup in Honolulu. Before returning to Los Angeles, the Clippers will travel to San Diego/Oceanside and Seattle for preseason games against the Portland Trail Blazers and Brooklyn Nets.
Hawaii has become the Clippers’ offseason team vacation destination of late—not a bad scene at all. This time they will hold training camp at Stan Sheriff Center on the University of Hawaii campus.
Coach Lue Addresses Loss of Paul George
The loss of Paul George was perhaps the harshest free agency exit of the summer. ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk caught up with Ty Lue recently, and the Clippers head coach had this to say regarding George:
“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 told Youngmisuk. “But 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.”
Losing George, a nine-time All-Star and still a top 20 player in the NBA, and Russell Westbrook will change things for the Clippers. George produced much of their offensive scoring load. He was the team’s pillar when Leonard was out with his repeated string of injuries. With George gone, Lue’s hopes rely on James Harden and a healthy and available Leonard.
As for George, he is now with the Philadelphia 76ers. Clearly, he saw brighter horizons ahead with the Sixers playing alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. No doubt he still has a championship ring on his mind, and the Sixers might be his best last chance.
Jeff Van Gundy Addition
The former ESPN color analyst—and a great color analyst at that—spent last season as a senior consultant with the Boston Celtics. Now joining the his Clippers coaching staff, Ty Lue couldn’t be more thrilled.
“He’s a basketball film rat,” the Clippers’ head coach said. “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–t. But he’s locked into all that.” – ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk
For several years, Van Gundy has been regarded as one of the NBA’s best “should be a coach” personalities. Still, he hasn’t coached in any capacity since 2007 with the Houston Rockets. However, Ty Lue is confident in Van Gundy and the impact the 18-year NBA coaching veteran will provide.
