Big things are happening for the LA Clippers right now. Intuit Dome just officially opened on Thursday with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony, and it is set to be one of the most high-level arenas in the NBA next season, despite what some naysayers might claim.
In addition, the Clippers will still have an extremely solid roster to go into next season with. They may not be a lock for a top seed, but they have plenty of resources to remain competitive in a stacked but admittedly wide open Western Conference.
And of course, after helping the United States men's basketball team win a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics as an assistant to Steve Kerr, Tyronn Lue will be returning as the Clippers' coach once again. Recently, it was announced that Lue has been named as a finalist for Team USA's head coaching spot.
Ty Lue is a finalist for USA Basketball's head coaching position
According to NBA Insider Marc Stein (subscription required), Steve Kerr "is not expected to continue as USA Basketball men's head coach after coaching in the Olympics and last summer's World Cup and serving as an assistant to Gregg Popovich at the 2019 World Cup and the Tokyo Olympics contested in 2021. USAB is expected to choose either Miami's Erik Spoelstra or the LA Clippers' Tyronn Lue, both assistants to Kerr, as his replacement,"
With Kerr's run over, Lue is primed to take over his spot on the American national team. This is of course a tremendous honor, and one well-deserved for a coach who already put in a summer of work to help the US earn a gold medal.
If Lue does not end up making the cut and the job instead goes to Spoelstra, Clippers fans can still celebrate the likely outcome of Ty remaining with the team as an assistant. Should he do that, he will be coaching Team USA at the 2028 Olympics, which will be taking place in none other than Los Angeles.