LA Lakers Champion Refused 'Dream' LeBron James Reunion over 'Slap in the Face' Offer

A former two time LA Lakers champion refused a huge reunion with LeBron James over the 'slap in the face' offer he was presented with.

Tyronn Lue, who won two NBA Championships as a player with the Lakers in 2000 and 2001, turned down the chance to reunite with James in Los Angeles.

Lue became head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, joining James who had left Miami Heat in 2014. He coached the Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals, which included a memorable comeback from 3-1 down against the Golden State Warriors to secure their first NBA Championship.

They reached the Finals again in 2017, losing to the Warriors in five games, before they fell short once more against the same team in 2018.

After the defeat in 2018, James joined the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Cavaliers began to struggle without him. They lost the first six games of the 2018-19 season and Lue lost his job.

Tyronn Lue and LeBron James. Image: Ethan Miller / Staff via Getty

He returned to coaching for the 2019-20 campaign, as lead assistant under Doc Rivers at the Los Angeles Clippers. When Rivers departed in 2020, Lue stepped up to become the head coach.

In May 2024, he signed a new five-year contract worth nearly $70m. But he could have been reunited with James years earlier at the Los Angeles Lakers.

He was in contention for the Lakers head coach position in 2019, but decided to turn down the offer.

On The Stephen A. Smith Show, he said at the time: "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, and they wanted to pick my coaching staff, and I just wasn't going to do that.

Tyronn Lue and LeBron James. Image: Greg Nelson / Contributor via Getty

"And I think 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.

"And then you want to pick my staff as well, I just thought that was a slap in the face.

"And I think as a young Black head coach, I just thought it was a bad example I was setting for other guys coming up after me.

He reiterated his thoughts on the offer during a recent appearance on the "Club Shay Shay" podcast this week.

He said: "I would have loved it. I mean it would have been a dream come true."

Ultimately, Lue rejected Lakers offer, as they were only prepared to offer him a short-term deal on less money.