CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Cavaliers announced Monday that Tyronn Lue would be taking a leave of absence from the organization to battle on-going medical issues, and the news was met with plenty of well wishes being sent his way.
Count Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr among those who are wishing Lue well.
“I feel for Ty,” Kerr said after shootaround ahead of tonight’s game at San Antonio. “We’ve been in contact. Health is everything. This game is fun and it’s exciting, and we all love our jobs, but we just want to be healthy.
“We just want everybody to be healthy, players, coaches, so we’re thinking about Ty, hoping he can recover quickly and find some answers and get back on the sidelines because he’s a great guy. He’s a great representative for their team and the league, and we just want him back.”
PHOTOS: Tyronn Lue ready to resume coaching duties with Cleveland Cavaliers
In the announcement, Lue said he experienced “chest pains and other troubling symptoms” during the Cavaliers’ six-game trip, which had five contests in the Mountain and Pacific Time zones, and he was not able to coach in the second half of Saturday’s 114-109 win over the Chicago Bulls at United Center.
Previously during the year, Lue missed halves or all of several games because of medical issues.
Kerr knows well what Lue is going through, as he had his own battle for health in recent seasons. At the start of the 2015-2016 season, Kerr had to take an extended leave of absence when he experienced complications during recovery from back surgery.
Kerr missed 43 games while recovering from a leakage of spinal fluid.
Last season, Kerr missed several playoff games while dealing with health-related issues.
“It’s hard,” Kerr said. “No matter how you slice it, it’s difficult. You’re dealing with health stuff and you’re trying to do what’s best for the team. You’re trying to sort things out with whatever your own situation is. It’s not easy.”
Over 192 games in two-plus years as head coach of the Cavaliers, Lue posted a 118-74 record (.615 winning percentage). Additionally, Lue compiled a 29-10 record in the postseason with only five losses in the Eastern Conference Playoffs over the last three years.
Lue led the Cavaliers to the 2016 NBA Championship, where they became the first team in league history to erase a 3-1 deficit in The Finals and won twice at Oracle Arena in Oakland, including the winner-take-all Game 7 on June 19, 2016.
Currently, at 40-29, the Cavaliers are in third place in the Eastern Conference and hold a half-game lead over the Indiana Pacers for first place in the Central Division.
“I think sleep is a big deal, and it’s one of the reasons we tailor our schedule and travel to let guys sleep in,” Kerr said. “Coaches need sleep too, and I know there’s a lot of recovery when you’re resting. You need that.”
