10 Sacramento Kings that never played a single minute
By Tyler Watts
5. Tyronn Lue
Lue had an 11-year playing career in the NBA before becoming one of the league’s best coaches. He won two championships with the Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal Lakers in his second and third seasons. The 23rd overall pick in the 1998 draft played sparingly on those teams, but became a quality role player in his prime.
The six-foot point guard saw action for seven different NBA teams and was traded five times in his career. Lue was often on the move, but no stay was shorter than his stop in Sacramento.
The Kings acquired him as part of a four-player package for Mike Bibby in 2008. The Kings fan favorite was at the tail end of his prime and Sacramento picked up a second-round pick in the deal.
Tyronn Lue lasted just 14 days before being waived without playing one minute. The Mavericks signed him four days later, and he appeared in 17 contests with them to close the season. Lue played one more year in the NBA before joining the Celtics development staff in 2009. He is currently the Clippers head coach and piloted the Cavaliers to the title in 2016.
Lue is best known for his coaching these days, but he was a solid role player in the NBA for more than a decade.