It would appear as if the Los Angeles Lakers are inclined towards hiring Dan Hurley as their new head coach. Most NBA fans will be aware that the Lakers fired their former head coach after a first-round exit at the hands of the Denver Nuggets. This loss made the team lose faith in Darvin Ham due to the fact that he had a record of 12-1 against the Nuggets over the past two seasons.
Although it was initially reported that the Lakers were seriously considering hiring JJ Redick as their new head coach, it appears that the Lakers were misleading the media all along and have had their eyes focused on acquiring Dan Hurley. Since he is likely not well known in the NBA community, a closer look the situation is certainly required.
LeBron James has publicly voiced his thoughts on Dan Hurley
To those who might not be aware, Dan Hurley is currently the head coach for a college basketball team called the UConn Huskies. While college basketball cannot be compared to the NBA, it is still quite popular and receives a great deal of attention in the United States.
Hurley joined the team as head coach back in 2018. He has gotten better each year at his job and has proven himself as a top-tier college basketball coach. This season, Hurley coached his squad to a record of 37 wins and 3 losses. Moreover, he has helped the team win 2 NCAA Division 1 championships in a row.
He’s so DAMN GOOD!!! Along with his staff. Super creative with their O! Love it
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 19, 2024
Upon witnessing Hurley’s impressive coaching style and plays, LeBron James could not hold himself back from complimenting the coach. The Lakers star took to social media in order to voice his approval. Soon later, it was revealed that the Lakers were truly interested in acquiring Hurley and that JJ Redick was never really a front-runner for a position as head coach.
How much are the Lakers willing to offer Hurley to be their head coach?
Not only are the Lakers interested in getting Dan Hurley, it appears as if they are willing to pay any price in order to bring him over to coach the Lakers. Their former coach Darvin Ham reportedly signed a contract that paid him around 3-5 million a year. The Lakers have completely outdone this offer as reports indicate that they are willing to offer Hurley $100 million to leave his current job and coach the Lakers.
REPORT: The Lakers are prepared to offer Dan Hurley a deal in the “ballpark of 8 years, ~$100M.”, per @AnthonyIrwinLA. pic.twitter.com/S2lFgVqsIZ
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 7, 2024
While Hurley is undoubtedly more qualified and battle-tested when compared to JJ Redick, one must wonder if the Lakers are giving him a bit too much credit. After all, there is a significant difference between coaching college students and professional athletes in the NBA. In any case, fans are left wondering if the Lakers will follow through on this deal and hire Dan Hurley.