NBA
Lue joins Cavaliers as assistant
6/24/2014CLEVELAND — Tyronn Lue is joining the Cavaliers after all.
Lue, who had two interviews during Cleveland’s coaching search, has been added to new coach David Blatt’s staff, a person familiar with the hiring told the Associated Press on Monday. Lue will be an associate head coach under Blatt, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team is not publicly commenting on the move.
Lue was one of the finalists to get the Cleveland job before it went to Blatt, who signed a three-year contract on Friday. The 55-year-old Blatt has never coached in the NBA — or the U.S. — so bringing in a coach with Lue’s experience will help him and give the Cavs an insurance policy.
The 37-year-old Lue played guard for 11 seasons with seven NBA teams. He spent the past five years working on Doc Rivers’ staff in Boston and Los Angeles and is regarded as one of the league’s rising young coaches.
Blatt, who led Maccabi Tel Aviv to the Euroleague championship this year and guided Russia to an Olympic bronze medal at the 2012 London Games, will be introduced at a news conference on Wednesday.
Duncan to return
SAN ANTONIO — Tim Duncan is exercising the option on his contract for 2014-15 and will return to play for the Spurs next season.
Duncan turned 38 in April and won his fifth championship with the Spurs in June. That led to some speculation that he could retire after 17 seasons in the league. He will make $10.3 million next season, allowing the Spurs to surround him with top-flight talent.