Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue will temporarily step away from his team to address health concerns. That news didn't come as a surprise to Cleveland's top star.
LeBron James addressed Lue's departure during his media availability on Monday, saying the break is "probably well overdue." In a statement released by the Cavs, Lue said he had been dealing with "chest pains and other troubling symptoms, compounded by a loss of sleep, throughout the year."
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James recognized Lue had been struggling, but Lue didn't want to leave the Cavs during a particularly difficult season of upheaval.
Ty Lue has been considering this option of stepping away for several weeks, but resisted until now, league sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/X0cKojiJmw
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 19, 2018
"He was just dealing with it the best way he could, but he was never not himself when he was around," James said. "Obviously, once you leave the gym and things of that nature, when he goes home, there's things we don't know. But he was the same every single day even though he was going through what he was going through."
Lue, 40, has missed parts or all of three games this season because of health concerns, most recently spending the second half of Saturday's win over the Bulls in the locker room. Associate head coach Larry Drew will take over Lue's responsibilities during his absence.
"Everyone has to step up, and we have coaches in place ready for that challenge," James said. "We have to do our jobs as players as well. But, like I said, his health is most important. We look forward to when he comes back."
The Cavs won't be missing Lue for long. Lue hopes to come back to the bench "well before the start of the playoffs," according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The current plan is for Lue to return as head coach next week, according to NBA.com reporter David Aldridge.
