Dan Hurley has decided to turn down the Lakers head coaching job and chase a three-peat national championship in college ball instead.
The Lakers reportedly offered Hurley a six-year, $70 million offer, which he has since rejected – multiple sources have confirmed.
A statement from UConn Men’s Basketball Head Coach Dan Hurley: pic.twitter.com/16e77ykbVp
— UConn Men’s Basketball (@UConnMBB) June 10, 2024
LA Times’ Bill Plaschke has spelled out what we’re all thinking. The Lakers have got egg on their face right now.
“Certainly, this speaks admirable volumes about the priorities of an East Coast guy who would eschew a walk on the red carpet for a chance to stay among family and try to win a third consecutive NCAA title,” Plaschke said.
“But this says more about the Lakers.
“This says the Lakers must have one of the worst head coaching jobs in the history of organized basketball.
“This says the Lakers’ front office must be viewed as an unadulterated mess.
“This says LeBron James must be considered such a coach killer that even the most secure coach in the game wants no part of him.
“This is embarrassing.”
ESPN‘s Brian Windhorst also pointed out that the Lakers in are an embarrassing situation, but it’s not rock bottom.
“The Lakers, now, are in a better situation with their roster than they were in that problematic spring of 2019, but they’re dealing with the same issue,” Windhorst explained. “In the abstract, the concept of being the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers seems extremely attractive. Great market, a magnet for players and a tremendous brand.
“However, the job itself is extremely challenging at the moment.
“The Lakers have finished better than seventh in the Western Conference standings just once in the past 12 seasons (when they won the title in 2019-20). Their franchise player, LeBron James, turns 40 in December. They have no salary-cap space unless James were to leave in free agency (he has until June 29 to make a decision on his $51.4 million player option). They have limited trade assets.”
NBA Twitter have a lot to say on the matter as well.
It’s almost like Dan Hurley leaked all of this through a trusted media source (who literally wrote a book on his dad) to secure himself an even bigger contract at UConn. Woj gets a big scoop, the Lakers get to say we tried, and Hurley gets a huge raise. Win. Win. Win. https://t.co/TYWvLS7c1J
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) June 10, 2024
Lakers going back to JJ Redick after Dan Hurley turned them down pic.twitter.com/HYX5deBibN
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) June 10, 2024
Lakers: “hey Dan we can give you a 70 million dollar contract to come be head coach”
Dan Hurley : pic.twitter.com/oH01ly0vI6
— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) June 10, 2024
With only 16 days until the 2024 NBA Draft, LA are running out of time to secure a head coach.
Pelicans coach James Borrego has been the only other candidate known to visit LA.