Cleveland Cavaliers: 3 reasons it was smart to fire Tyronn Lue
By Ryan Piers
The NBA world may have been caught off guard by the firing of Tyronn Lue, but the Cleveland Cavaliers made the right decision to pull the plug.
A popular preseason office pool among NBA pundits revolves around which coach will get canned first. Some thought Fred Hoiberg was a likely candidate for the early hook. Others postulated Tom Thibodeau would be the first to go.
Turns out, it’s the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ own Tyronn Lue. Following an 0-6 start filled with blowouts and lackluster defensive efforts, Cleveland is parting ways with a coach with championship pedigree.
It’s hard to fault Lue. Kevin Love and Larry Nance Jr. have been injured. The schedule has been challenging. And it’s never easy managing a team without its recently departed superstar. Many coaches would probably struggle to win a couple games with the Cavs’ fortunes.
Lue orchestrated a magical comeback from a 3-1 in the NBA Finals just over two years ago. He’ll be remembered as the coach who brought Cleveland its first NBA championship. That alone is an accomplishment greater than most coaches achieve.
Yet, it’s time to say goodbye. General manager Koby Altman and company decided to pull the plug on the winless coach. Here are three reasons why it was the smart move.