A bombshell arrived earlier this week when the Los Angeles Lakers were linked to UConn’s Dan Hurley for their vacant head coaching job.
For the past month, ESPN analyst JJ Redick has been considered the favorite to take over as the Lakers’ next head coach but that all changed once it was reported that Hurley is the organization’s preferred candidate. Hurley is widely regarded as the best collegiate men’s basketball coach after leading the Huskies to back-to-back NCAA titles, though he has been open about his desire to someday coach at the NBA level.
Hurley would represent a massive shift in Los Angeles’ hiring philosophy as they typically like to hire people who have ties to the franchise. However, he offers perhaps the most upside of any candidate considering the current pool of coaches available.
Hurley reportedly met with the Lakers about the head coaching job on Friday and John Fanta of Fox Sports said the team is offered him a hefty deal, via The Zach Gelb Show:
“Can you say no and stomach saying no to nine figures? I have it on good authority the Lakers are offering him at least $100 million guaranteed.”
A $100 million offer for Hurley seems like an astronomical number on paper, but that’s the sort of money Los Angeles would need to shell out if they want to lure the UConn’s coach away from a program he turned into a juggernaut. This lines up with a previous report about the two sides discussing the parameters on a potential deal that seems to have legs at this point of the process.
If Hurley accepts the proposed deal, he would instantly become one of the highest-paid coaches in the league despite not having coached at the professional level before. However, he seems to be the type of person who thrives on doubt and would surely relish the opportunity to prove himself in the NBA.
By all accounts, a decision is expected to come in the next few days given that the Huskies would probably like clarity on who’ll be in charge of their program for next season. For now, the situation should be monitored closely.
UConn’s offer to Dan Hurley not close to Lakers
With the Lakers offering a massive contract for Dan Hurley, UConn will need to step up its offer if they hope to retain him. Although UConn’s reportedly got a strong offer on the table for Hurley, it’s apparently not close to what the Lakers are offering.
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