Coach Tyronn Lue had his first ever head coaching gig this past season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and it ended with an NBA Championship. After six month’s of coaching under his assistant coach contract and a little over a month after the title, Lue and the Cavs have agreed on a new 5-year, $35 million contract through 2021.
According to Basketball Reference, Lue made around $21,382,580 in 11 years playing professionally in the NBA for the Lakers, Wizards, Magic, Rockers, Hawks, and Kings.
Basketball Reference
With his highest contract being a 3-year, $10.5 million he signed in 2005, Lue will make an average of $4 million more annually and will surpass his total career earnings as a player in a little over three years.
Tyronn Lue's player contracts (via @bball_ref) – 11 yrs, $21.4 mil
Lue's 1st head coaching contract (via @WojVerticalNBA) – 5 yrs, $35 mil
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) July 26, 2016
On top of that, Lue will be right behind some of the most elite and highest-paid coaches in the league. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich earns around $11 million annually, Clippers coach Doc Rivers makes $10 million, and Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau just signed a deal that will pay him an average of $8 million over the next five years. As Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal notes, the Mavericks signed their coach Rick Carlisle to the same 5-year, $35 million deal that Lue just received, while the Wizards new coach Scott Brooks and Pistons’ head coach Stan Van Gundy are also on the 5-year, $35 million deals. Clearly, the Cavs value Lue and Lue knows his worth to this team and organization.
Now that Lue and the Cavs have agreed on their contract, all the Cavs have left to do is sign J.R. Smith and LeBron James to their deals to bring back the core of the championship team.
