Tyronn Lue nearly reunited with LeBron James this spring. Now, the veteran NBA coach may soon be tasked with taking down The King.

The Clippers are close to hiring Lue as an assistant coach, the New York Times reported Wednesday, which would add another layer to the growing rivalry between the two championship favorite Los Angeles teams.

Lue, who is close with James and was fired by Cleveland six games into last season, was the leading candidate to become head coach of the Lakers in May after the team axed Luke Walton.

The 42-year-old celebrated his birthday with a Lakers-themed cake, but eventually pulled out of the coaching search when the Lakers reportedly offered him a three-year contract instead of a five-year deal.

The Lakers settled on Frank Vogel, who will lead the James-Anthony Davis Lakers against the Kawhi Leonard-Paul George Clippers for the foreseeable future.

Lue, who won two NBA championships as a player and one while coaching the Cavaliers alongside James in 2016, began his coaching career under current Clippers coach Doc Rivers with Boston in 2009. Lue followed Rivers to Los Angeles before heading to Cleveland.