AJC Playing on one of the NBA's biggest stages wasn't enough to pry Tyronn Lue away from the Atlanta Hawks. Playing alongside one of the greatest players didn't convince him either. Not even repeated calls from one of the game's all-time great coaches could coax the veteran point guard to abandon the Hawks' rebuilding project for a more promising path to the playoffs. Lue spurned a chance to rejoin Lakers star Kobe Bryant and coach Phil Jackson for another title run in favor of a backup role with the Hawks. It was a decision that stunned some, but it made all the sense in the world to Lue, who played some of his best basketball as a pro after being traded by Houston to the Hawks in December. "I grew close to these guys last year; we all bonded," said Lue, who signed a free-agent deal with the Hawks on Aug. 23. "I felt I owed it to these guys to come back here. They respect me and they look up to me; besides, I'm fun in the locker room. When things are tough, I'm always there to help them out. And starting really isn't a big thing to me." Lue has long championed the role of the super sub. He has been known to tout himself as one of the league's three best backup point guards. "Well," Lue said before flashing his trademark smile, "you got Bobby Jackson, Earl Boykins and me." But Jackson and Boykins don't have championship rings. Lue has two, having played the role of super sub on the Lakers' title teams in 2000 and 2001. "He's been telling me for years that all he wants is to play 20 minutes a game," Hawks forward Al Harrington said. "That doesn't mean he's not competitive. He just feels like he's found his niche. He wanted to find a place where he can play his role and be effective, and you've got to respect that." Source
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Houston:</div><div class="quote_post">man not even tyronn lue wants to play for the Lakers...or La-La land ...</div> I think it had to do with what LA was offering free agents. They refused to offer more than a two year deal to any free agent, so it turned a lot of players away. Also Lue wanted to be apart of the Hawks rebuild because they gave him his best opportunity to be a starter in the NBA.
That's heart right there. I've always like Lue. Thats mad heart right there to pass up going to the Lakers, who might have a better chance at a championship then the hawks because they are under P. Jackson. That shows that money or anything can't replace the bond that you share wit your team mates.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">That's heart right there. I've always like Lue. Thats mad heart right there to pass up going to the Lakers, who might have a better chance at a championship then the hawks because they are under P. Jackson. That shows that money or anything can't replace the bond that you share wit your team mates. </div> well, he's got his rings already, so i think that didn't affect him as much
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">Also Lue wanted to be apart of the Hawks rebuild because they gave him his best opportunity to be a starter in the NBA.</div>Didn't Lue just finish re-iterrating that starting isn't important to him?
Theres also the chance that he didnt want to go to LA because theyre a garbage team.Why move just to go to another garbage team? I mean it has to be considered.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting naterobinson9:</div><div class="quote_post">eh, we dont NEED YOU TYRONNE, have fun with a dieing franchise, cuz' la is here to stay</div> well said!
actually it's more insulting to the Lakers to be turned down by a player who wanted to stay in Atlanta.
Derek Fisher left for the same reason, he wanted to "do what was best for Derek Fisher". People are tired of being in Kobe's shadow. Lue has played with both Kobe and Tmac, and obviously didn't like being in the Shadow of an elite player. I think that he needs to realize that this is a business , and that it's silly to settle for a mediocre team just to pad stats. I think he was right to not go to the Lakers, his addition wouldn't guarantee anything as far as a playoff spot. He's going to be part of the face of the Hawk franchise. Along with Johnson and Harrigton. Win or lose.
Good ol' Lue, when he was on the Rockets alot of people said he was horrible but I thought he was above decent, but the article naming him as third best backup PG caught me by suprise.
Lue wanted to stay with a team than has a much brighter future. Can't fault him for that. He already has a ring.
I think the Lakers have a very bright future. Kwame has decided that this will be a 're-birth' of sorts, Kobe has decided the same, Lamar will hopefully come into his own this year, Bynum will be a project for the next few years, and the LA Coaching staff is just insane! (Pippen, Kareem, Phil, Tex Winter, Shaw, etc.)
