The Los Angeles Lakers head coach search has been going on for some time and it seemed as if the franchise was really zeroing in on a couple of candidates as their ideal choice. But suddenly things were flipped on Thursday morning when news came out that the team was preparing a huge offer to UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley.
Hurley is widely regarded as one of the best coaches in all of college basketball after leading UConn to back-to-back National Championships. This most recent run was even more impressive as the Huskies came in with a target on their back yet still went 37-3 powered by one of the best defenses in the NCAA.
Even still, Hurley had not been mentioned as a potential candidate for the Lakers job anywhere. As such, the news that the Lakers were eyeing him as their next head coach came as a surprise, even to some within the organization, via Dan Woike of the L.A. Times:
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the news early Thursday morning, sending a shock wave through not just the league, but also through the Lakers’ own building.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever been more shocked,” one high-ranking official said.
That there are some inside the Lakers organization that were surprised by this revelation shows that it was only a select few who were aware of the team’s desire to bring in Hurley. And in a world in which teams in all sports are rarely able to keep things out of the media, the Lakers’ pursuit of Hurley being kept a secret is rather impressive.
The question now is whether Hurley will accept the Lakers offer and jump to the NBA. Hurley has spoken previously about his desire to challenge himself at the NBA level should the right opportunity present itself and there are very few challenges greater than leading the Lakers.
Whatever the case may be, his decision is expected to be known soon and if Hurley does indeed become the next Lakers coach, L.A. will have made a major move that even some of their own didn’t see coming.
Lakers would need to pay $1.875 million buyout if Dan Hurley leaves UConn
The Lakers are reportedly prepared to offer Dan Hurley a huge contract in order to persuade him to leave UConn, but the team will also have to shell out a little more in order to get him out of his contract.
Hurley signed a six-year deal with the Huskies in 2023 which includes a buyout of $1.875 million that the Lakers would have to pay if he accepts. It is, however, much less than if Hurley were to leave for a college job as that buyout would be $7 million.
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