Tyronn Lue was not impressed.
The current LA Clippers coach opened up on the Stephen A Smith podcast on an offseason of speculation, about a possible switch to the Lakers - but the story goes back further.
Tyronn Lue and LeBron James in Paris
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Tyronn Lue and LeBron James in Paris
In 2019, Lue was in contention to replace Luke Walton who was fired by the Lakers. He was the clear favourite to take over in a coaching market that was hot.
It helped that LeBron James was a current Lakers player and the iconic 'King' had shared four successful years with Lue at the Cleveland Cavaliers, including a 2016 NBA championship.
James was reportedly desperate to get Lue as his head coach but talks would collapse after the Lakers initial offer was underwhelming.
Lue went on to reveal that James had been in touch during the negotiations.
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"He [James] did, and he called me twice. He called me, [saying] 'What do I have to do? I said, 'No, I want them to respect me," Lue told Stephen A Smith.
"I don't want to have to go to you to get my deal done; if they don't respect me like I should be respected, then it's okay."
"He wasn't p***** off; he wasn't mad about it, but he and Rich Paul both stepped in and said, 'What are we going to do to get it done?' I didn't like the way it was handled."
NBA coaching contracts for projects typically were five years with head coaches normally picking their own staff to implement their own style.
At the time it was reported that the Lakers' offer was three years and $18 million, an offer that saw Lue's team pull out of the negotiations
"I don't think they had the same respect for me as I felt they should. They offered me the job on a three-year basis, " Lue said.
The pair won the NBA Championship together in 2016
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The pair won the NBA Championship together in 2016
"They wanted to pick my coaching style, and I wasn't going to do that," Lue added.
"More so for me to be a championship coach, To take a three-year deal when everyone else is getting five-year deals and more money,"
Another blow in the negotiations was when the Lakers tried to handpick Lue's backroom team, something that experienced coaches usually demand.
"They want to pick my staff as well, I just thought that was a slap in the face.
"As a young Black head coach, I just thought it was a bad example I was steering for other guys coming up after me."
In the end it would work out for the Lakers.
Lue joined the Clippers as an assistant coach before taking over as head coach in 2020 while the Lakers went on to win the NBA Championship with their eventual head coach pick, Frank Vogel.
Vogel departed after a championship, to be replaced by Darvin Ham who was fired himself earlier in 2024 and was replaced by first time head coach JJ Redick.