Lakers targeting UConn's Dan Hurley in coaching search, preparing 'massive' offer, per report

BleedGopher

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I can't see Hurley's intensity working in the NBA, but I'm sure it will be a ridiculous sum of money. I think coaching James and his son would be a circus, but money often talks.

If Hurley leaves, gotta imagine our guy Kimani Young gets the HC job at UCONN.

Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Hurley has been the target throughout the process. From ESPN:

Hurley has been at the forefront of the Lakers' search from the beginning of the process, even while the organization has done its due diligence interviewing several other candidates, sources said.

Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka and governor Jeanie Buss are eager to formally discuss with Hurley their vision of marrying his dominant program -- built upon both his tactical acumen and elite player development -- with the storied Lakers brand, sources said.
Hurley, earlier this offseason, turned down overtures from the University of Kentucky, one of the best jobs in college basketball because of its history and resources, after the school and John Calipari went in separate directions. He later said he had no desire to coach college basketball anywhere else before adding that trying his hand at the NBA later in his career interests him. In an interview last year, he said that he still had some "developing to do on the sideline" before thinking of making the jump to the NBA, a reference to his sideline antics and emotive coaching tactics.

"There's no one coaching like me in the NBA,"he said then. "They're not ready ... and certainly, I'm not ready. [But] that is something I aspire to down the road."


Go Gophers!!
 

The recruiting 365 days a year (HS-AAU-Portal-Roster retention etc) has to get old at some point, if one is offered a decent alternative.

If he fails coaching LeBron, there will be multiple suiters if he wished to get back in the NCAA game.
 

Hurley doesn't seem like an NBA type but he seemed pretty disillusioned about the portal and constant recruiting.
 

The recruiting 365 days a year (HS-AAU-Portal-Roster retention etc) has to get old at some point, if one is offered a decent alternative.

If he fails coaching LeBron, there will be multiple suiters if he wished to get back in the NCAA game.

And I'm sure Hurley will get a guarantee that he has multiple years after the LeBron(s) leave LA. This isn't a 2-3 year trial for him.

Go Gophers!!
 

And I'm sure Hurley will get a guarantee that he has multiple years after the LeBron(s) leave LA. This isn't a 2-3 year trial for him.

Go Gophers!!
Correct.

Woj said today, they are hiring him to come implement his program ala Riley & Jackson and have him be the focal point of the franchise, building long-term after LeBron is gone.


Additionally, he shared the following -
He runs advanced O sets which you see in international play and the Lakers realize they need to have more of a developmental focus for younger players, like The Heat dies in order to make it work with the cap.

Hurley In my estimation has done a great job in doing this and UCONN with have two early first round draft picks again; IIRC, neither were mocked as first rounders before the season started.

Sounds like it will be an avg. of 8 figures a year and Hurley always wanted to coach in the pros. He’s likely smart enough to adapt to a new role - happens all the time in business.
 
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I'm surprised. You could take the Laker gig, coach 3 years, get fired, collect the full $70 million. Then go get $70 million from Kentucky. Respect as a coach. Questionable as a financial advisor.
i'm pretty sure he'll be ok financially.
 




i'm pretty sure he'll be ok financially.
I'm surprised he turned it down but I can certainly understand where it wouldn't all be about the money for him.

His entire career, playing and coaching, to this point has taken place on the East coast. When he does go to the NBA eventually it will prbably be with the Knicks or Celtics as opposed to a team like the Lakers.
 


The difference is a matter of what's important to him and his family. They are entrenched in the east coast. UConn is going to bump him to $8 million a year. The Lakers offered $12 million.
$50 million or $70 million? But it's also not apples to apples beyond money.
As a college head coach, you make the schedule, you pick the players, you select your coaches...you are in total control. In the NBA over time you may get input on players but there are contracts and salary caps to maneuver...the GM has final say who is on the team. NBA is over 100 games with pre season and playoffs versus 40 games if you go deep. The NBA players are established with families, wives and kids and wealthy...a lot different than "coachable" 18 to 24 year olds counting on you to get them TO the NBA by trusting and listening to you.
They are different jobs....like a top salesman who gets promoted to manager and is unhappy and not good at his job. Lots of things to consider other than money.
3-peat opportunity is pretty tempting as well!
 

The difference is a matter of what's important to him and his family. They are entrenched in the east coast. UConn is going to bump him to $8 million a year. The Lakers offered $12 million.
$50 million or $70 million? But it's also not apples to apples beyond money.
As a college head coach, you make the schedule, you pick the players, you select your coaches...you are in total control. In the NBA over time you may get input on players but there are contracts and salary caps to maneuver...the GM has final say who is on the team. NBA is over 100 games with pre season and playoffs versus 40 games if you go deep. The NBA players are established with families, wives and kids and wealthy...a lot different than "coachable" 18 to 24 year olds counting on you to get them TO the NBA by trusting and listening to you.
They are different jobs....like a top salesman who gets promoted to manager and is unhappy and not good at his job. Lots of things to consider other than money.
3-peat opportunity is pretty tempting as well!
Exactly. Now he cherry-picks his players. And ESPN just called him the greatest coach on the planet. If he goes pro, this will change overnight. He won't have UConn's overwhelming talent advantage.
 



I can't imagine any coach that could get $70 million guaranteed would want to stay in college coaching and deal with NIL BS.....
 

Exactly. Now he cherry-picks his players. And ESPN just called him the greatest coach on the planet. If he goes pro, this will change overnight. He won't have UConn's overwhelming talent advantage.
Yes that’s true. But he built it
 



Exactly. Now he cherry-picks his players. And ESPN just called him the greatest coach on the planet. If he goes pro, this will change overnight. He won't have UConn's overwhelming talent advantage.
He isn’t half the coach BJ is. Preach it brother!
 


He isn’t half the coach BJ is. Preach it brother!
I guess UConn just happens to hire super smart coaches. While all of our coaches turn out to be stupid.

The nuances of putting a ball through a hoop...our coaches need more study in this.
 





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