Dan Hurley Said To Be ’50-50′ On Lakers Coaching Job

Dan Hurley has a good thing going at UConn, having won the past two NCAA national championships. What he has to figure out is if life as coach of the Lakers would be even better.

Hurley reportedly flew out to Los Angeles to meet with team owner Jeanie Buss and general manager Rob Pelinka. The Lakers are said to have a large and lengthy offer to present.

As for Hurley, he is undecided, according to veteran college basketball insider Jeff Goodman of the Field of 68.

One source close to Hurley told Field of 68 it’s ’50-50′ whether he heads to the NBA or returns to UConn,” Goodman wrote. “Source told Field of 68 UConn has strong offer on the table, but obviously can’t match or even get close to Lakers.”

Hurley reportedly met with his players in Storrs, Conn., to make them aware that he intended to speak to the Lakers.

Until Thursday morning, the Lakers were supposedly leaning toward former NBA shooting guard JJ Redick as their next coach, with New Orleans Pelicans assistant James Borrego also believed to be in the mix.

But it’s become quite apparent that Hurley is their man, and the Lakers are strongly pushing that message out to the heavy hitters in the media. But again, sources have told Hoops Wire that the Lakers are making this sound more significant than it really is.

Hurley has a good thing going at UConn and makes a lot of money. Some suspect taking a job with an aging star such as LeBron James would be more than he could handle. There is much work to be done with the roster, and Hurley has never played or coached in the NBA.

It’s one thing to tell a bunch of 19-year-old kids what to do. It’s quite another to tell a 40-year-old legend.

Nonetheless, LA has been targeting Hurley since the beginning of their search, Wojnarowski reported.

“Rob Pelinka and 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,” Wojnarowski wrote, citing sources.

• Related | PJ Carlisemo says he thinks Dan Hurley would be strong hire
• Related | JJ Redick still considered viable candidate for Lakers

Money obviously isn’t expected to be the primary factor in Hurley’s decision, but it could play a role if there is a significant difference between the two – which is the expectation. https://t.co/JvlGwoJxJp

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) June 7, 2024