How Much Credit Should Ty Lue Have With the Clippers?

Ty Lue is currently not on the hot seat, but how long should that last?

Nov 8, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue and guard James Harden (1) on the sidelines during the second half against the Phoenix Suns at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Clippers are in the midst of their worst season in the Ty Lue era. After five straight seasons with a winning record, the 48-year-old head coach is struggling to get his team to play at a high level on either end of the floor. In a loaded Western Conference, the Clippers may have dug themselves a hole too big to get out of. If the season continues this way, should Lue be on the hot seat?

Lue is one of the highest-paid coaches in the league with approximately $14 million per year. He is under contract until 2029. So, it's certainly not the easiest decision to move on from him, even if Lawrence Frank and Steve Ballmer were aligned on the need to part ways. But the Clippers built the oldest roster in NBA history with the hopes of contending in the Western Conference. They were considered to be a surefire top-six seed in the West and had an over/under win total of 49.5 before the season. If the Clippers fall out of the playoff race even before the calendar turns to 2026, is there a point in keeping Lue in charge?

When Will Ty Lue's Seat Start Getting Warmer?

As good as Lue has been in the regular season, the Clippers have not won a playoff series since 2021. The lack of postseason success in recent years, combined with the underwhelming 2025-26 performance, could certainly make Lue's seat warmer as the season went on.

The Clippers currently have the fifth-worst defensive rating in the league. That is a disastrous mark considering the defensive talent on the roster, including two elite defensive anchors in Ivica Zubac and Brook Lopez. That sharp decline from a season ago, when the Clippers had the third-best defense, is obviously not entirely on Lue, but it does reflect poorly on him. Coaches generally tend to have a larger impact on the team's defensive quality than its offense, and the Clippers are playing way below expectations.

There comes a time when a coach wears out their welcome with the organization, regardless of their track record. Great head coaches get fired all the time. Sometimes, the team needs a different voice in the locker room, even if it belongs to a coach who may be less qualified. This is not to say that the Clippers have reached that point, but if they were to move on from Lue, that would not take away from anything he has accomplished in LA or in his career. Lue will continue to be one of the best coaches in the league, regardless of how his Clippers tenure ends.

So far, there has been no indication that Ballmer and Frank are ready to move on from Lue. They clearly still believe in him. However, Frank built this roster, and if Lue is not getting the most out of it, it's natural that the Clippers would consider a coaching change. Changing the coach would be much easier than trading Kawhi Leonard and fully revamping this roster.

Lue is not the problem with the Clippers; the roster is. He should have a ton of credit with the team to at least see out this season, but plenty of coaches have been fired for less. So, it shouldn't surprise anyone if Lue suffers the same fate.