Cleveland Cavaliers: Tyronn Lue Should Not Coach All-Stars

Just because Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue is eligible to coach the Eastern Conference All Stars in the NBA All-Star game does mean he should.

Tyronn Lue has one game under his belt as the Cleveland Cavaliers head coach. Having replaced David Blatt, Lue can coach in the NBA All-Star game if the Cavaliers are in first place in the Eastern Conference on January 31st. Although that will likely occur, there is also a chance that Cleveland could drop to second place in the conference. The Cavaliers are only 2.5 games ahead of the Toronto Raptors.

Should Lue be the coach, he did not “earn” it. Lue will do a great job in Cleveland but for this all-star game, Lue should not be considered. Lue’s title was not head coach nearly all of this season — he did not earn the win/loss record. That was Blatt. Lue was influential as an assistant, but again he only has had the top coaching title for one game!

Despite Blatt’s firing, Lue mentioned that Blatt should still be the coach in the all-star game. That is not going to happen and if it did, watching Blatt coach would be rough. If his own players did not listen to him, some of the best players in the NBA are not going to start, especially for an exhibition game.

I understand the rules are the way they are for a reason, but when situations like the one the Cleveland Cavaliers are in occurs, then adjustments should be allowed. There should be a certain amount of games a coach coaches to be eligible.

The coach that should be leading the Eastern All-Stars is Toronto’s Dwayne Casey. There is no discussion about this if Toronto does overtake Cleveland for the top spot within the next seven days, but if they fail to do that, he should still get the nod.

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Lue has a talented roster and combined with his knowledge and experience should allow him to coach in multiple all-star games. In the meantime, Casey should get the nod in Toronto regardless, not because the all-star game is in Toronto, but the success he has gained as the Raptors coach. Casey has earned the opportunity.

Casey’s Raptors have been the second best team in the east. His point guard Kyle Lowry will be an all-star starter, and shooting guard DeMar DeRozan should also represent the team as a reserve. Casey has coached the Raptors back into contention and they currently are riding a seven game winning streak with an overall record of 28-15.

Of course it would be nice to see as many Cleveland Cavaliers in the all-star game, including Lue. However, the limited amount of official games he will have had as head coach by the end of January is what I have a problem with. Behind the scenes we all know that Lue was the coach players relied on, but naming him an all-star coach is not fair to the other coaches in the NBA.

Any recognition through the NBA All-Star game would be memorable and is well deserving, but that is not the goal of every season. That goal is to win the NBA Championship and Cleveland is the best in the east for a reason and should end up back in the NBA Finals. As long as the players adjust to Lue, that will happen.

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Coaching in the all-star game would be great but Lue and the Cavaliers have bigger goals in mind both short and long-term.