After Dan Hurley announced he would return to UConn to chase a third straight National Championship, the Los Angeles Lakers were left back at square one of their head coaching search.
The Lakers made a full-court press to convince Hurley to leave the Huskies, but ultimately their reported six-year, $70 million offer wasn’t enough to get him to leave. Now, Los Angeles will revert back to its original list of candidates that includes ESPN analyst JJ Redick, New Orleans Pelicans assistant James Borrego and Boston Celtics assistant Sam Cassell.
Redick is likely to once again become the frontrunner and he is set to interview with the Lakers brass this weekend. Meanwhile, Borrego and Cassell will continue to stay involved in the process though they’ll have other offers waiting for them.
If Redick ultimately is offered the job, Borrego and Cassell would make for great assistants on his coaching staff and were reported to be in the mix, but it appears they are no longer in the mix for that, via Dan Woike of L.A. Times:
“While the team had held Borrego in high regard and regardless of his position in the Cleveland search, league insiders believe he’s not interested in a secondary position on the Lakers’ staff. Sam Cassell, another coach whom the Lakers have spoken to in this process, will also probably not be available as it’s widely believed he’s in line for a promotion on the Celtics’ bench with Charles Lee leaving to coach in Charlotte.”
Borrego is also interviewing for the Cleveland Cavaliers head coaching job and is considered a strong candidate for next year’s hiring cycle if he doesn’t land there. As for Cassell, it sounds like he’ll have an opporutunity to move up on the Celtics bench, an even more intriging proposition considering they’re one win away from winning the 2024 NBA Finals.
Los Angeles has been particular about who sits on their head coach’s bench and would probably have more say in Redick’s staff if he ends up being the choice. Because of his lack of NBA coaching experience, the team would need to surround him with veterans options with head coaching experience to help ease his transition to the sidelines.
Dan Hurley confirms there was number Lakers could’ve offered to lure him away from UConn
Dan Hurley would’ve been a strong choice to lead the Lakers for next season and beyond because of his tactical acumen and ability to game plan. Although the two sides couldn’t agree on contract terms, Hurley confirmed there was a number that exists that would’ve convinced him to leave UConn.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!