The Los Angeles Lakers are still on the hunt for a new head coach after firing Darvin Ham. According to Adrian Wojnarowski from ESPN, the Lakers are targeting UConn men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley as the franchise’s next coach and are preparing a massive, long-term contract offer to bring the back-to-back NCAA national champion to the NBA.
This means that the odds of JJ Reddick becoming the Lakers’ new coach are slimmer as the franchise strategies to bring Dan Hurley into the team. Thus, can the 2024 Naismith Coach of the Year bring the Lakers’ dreams to reality?
Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach Hunt
ESPN reporter, Adrian Wojnarowski explained that the Los Angeles Lakers have been in contact with different coaches from the Charlotte Hornets, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, and the front runner-up, JJ Redick. However, the coach that came out on top was Hurley.
Dan Hurley has been a college basketball coach since 2001 and has coached for 14 seasons. He is the current coach of the UConn Huskies and helped them win two consecutive NCAA tournaments. With 293 wins out of 456 games, the 51-year-old gives the Lakers a vivid picture of the franchise’s future with him. Also, if the Lakers sign Dan Hurley, he will join Billy Donovan who was also a successful college basketball coach and he’s now the Chicago Bulls head coach.
Can Dan Hurley Do The Job?
The Los Angeles Lakers’ offseason plans include building a championship team to utilize LeBron’s greatness and capturing young up-and-coming NBA superstars to fill into missed vitals rows.
Also, the Lakers prioritize their players’ approval and relationship with their potential head coach for long-term success. This is one of the reasons Darvin Ham got fired and JJ Redick had been rumored to be the Lakers’ new head coach.
ESPN Report, Adrian Wojnarowski, revealed LeBron James replied to Redick’s post on social media, which was his podcast interview with Dan Hurley saying:
“He’s so DAMN GOOD!!! Along with his staff. Super creative with their offense! Love it.”
James hasn’t signed an extension contract with the Lakers yet. However, with the Lakers making this kind of move, the all-time NBA scorer could consider signing with the Lakers for another year extension.
Also, Hurley’s experience in the game speaks for him, as the Denver Nuggets coach, Michael Malone, believes the two-times NCAA Champ will do well as an NBA coach saying this:
“I think if Danny Hurley got into the NBA, there’s no doubt he can coach. You watch their team play. People talk about their offense, to me, I was more impressed with how they defended all over the place. It was really fun to watch that finals game against Purdue and their defensive game plan. I have no doubt that Danny Hurley could step into the NBA and find a way to connect to his group and do a good job because Danny is a coach. He’s a teacher of the game, he’s a coach of the game and he’s had a tremendous amount of success.”
Dan Hurley’s Current Situation
The Huskies haven’t extended Dan Hurley’s contract. Thus, this scenario gives way for the Lakers to make their long-term deal with Hurley. Also, Hurley isn’t certain of his future with his current basketball team as he explains his current situation with the Huskies.
“It’s probably taken more time than any of us would have liked, but it’s not something that’s ever been a rush for me. When you’ve won back-to-back championships, you’re not calling your agent worried about the status of your contract. You’re more worried about recruiting, and scheduling. It’s complicated. There’s a business side of it, which you allow your agent to advise you on. I’m not a businessman. I’m not good at that.”
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