The firing of David Blatt on Friday not only meant that the Cleveland Cavaliers would be looking for a new coach, it also opened up a spot on the sidelines at the 2016 All-Star Game.
Tyronn Lue, the new man in charge of the East’s top team, will coach the conference’s All-Star team in February as long as the Cavaliers (30–12) remain ahead of the Raptors (28–15) in the standings. According to Chris Haynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Lue thinks that Blatt should coach the team, although that’s not possible.
The Cavaliers fired Blatt in his second year despite a 30–11 record, and hired Lue, who was signed to a lucrative deal as a top assistant last off-season. Despite reports that LeBron James and his agent had pushed for Lue’s hiring, he said on Saturday that he was surprised by the move.
– Kenny Ducey