Ty Lue’s firing a reminder to Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg of nature of the job

SHARE Ty Lue’s firing a reminder to Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg of nature of the job
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Chicago Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg questions a call during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Monday, Oct. 22, 2018. | Michael Ainsworth/Associated Press

Tyronn Lue’s firing in Cleveland was another reminder for Fred Hoiberg of how precarious NBA coaching positions have become.

Considering Lue brought the city its first championship in any major sport since 1964 and made it to the Finals three consecutive seasons, then was cut loose after an 0-6 start, it’s no wonder Hoiberg consistently steers clear of talking about his own job in any sort of detail.

“I have a lot of respect and admiration for Ty Lue for what he did, going in there and taking over midway through [the 2015-16 season] and taking that team to a championship,’’ Hoiberg said. “It’s not easy when you have those types of personalities and players and finding a way to have them buy in, and he did that, bringing them to a championship. To have that happen this early in the season with some of the injuries that they’ve had, it’s tough.

“Ty is a very well-respected coach all around the league. I know that for a fact. He’ll have another opportunity. I’m confident in that.’’

McKinnie comes home

When Warriors forward Alfonzo McKinnie returned to the United Center — he grew up about 15 minutes away and played at Curie and Marshall — as a member of the defending NBA champions, he was overcome with emotion.

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“I didn’t expect anything like this to happen,” McKinnie told reporters before the game. “I wanted it to happen. I prayed for it to happen. But at the time, it wasn’t looking promising.”

McKinnie wasn’t given a direct path to the NBA, so he paved his own. After being lightly recruited out of Marshall and undrafted out of Wisconsin-Green Bay, McKinnie paid $150 to try out for the G League in 2016. It might’ve been his best investment.

McKinnie, 26, made his NBA debut last season with the Raptors. After being waived at the end of the season, he ultimately earned a spot with the Warriors after impressing coach Steve Kerr in training camp.

“It’s been a hell of a journey — a lot of ups and downs,” McKinnie said. “To start from where I was at until now, I’m just grateful for the opportunities that I was blessed with, and I’m just trying to make the best of it.”

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