BREAKING: For unexpected reasons Dan Hurley turns down $70 million LA Lakers contract
The Los Angeles Lakers’ search for a new head coach is quickly turning into an undesirable saga, with the franchise running out of feasible options. Firing Darvin Ham appears to be a hasty decision lacking foresight. On Monday, Dan Hurley declined a six-year, $70 million offer from the Lakers, choosing instead to stay with the UConn Huskies.
When Hurley’s name first surfaced as a candidate, rumors suggested he had been the team’s top choice from the beginning. However, Shams Charania clarified on Tuesday’s edition of FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back” that this wasn’t true.
“Last week on Wednesday, they shifted their focus to Dan Hurley,” Charania explained. “He was not the primary candidate from the start. But they saw an opportunity as he was negotiating with UConn, and they made what many in the league consider a desperate offer — six years, $70 million.”
“[Dan Hurley] was not the #1 candidate to go and pursue from the start… At the end of the day – he chose to stay for $20M less at UConn”@ShamsCharania on the #Lakers head coaching search 👀 pic.twitter.com/WLYBVVQi6u
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) June 11, 2024
James Borrego seems to be a leading contender for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ head coaching position, leaving JJ Redick as the last candidate from the Lakers’ initial search. Rob Pelinka is quickly exhausting viable options. If Redick were truly the Lakers’ top choice, he would already be hired.
Sam Cassell, Jay Wright, and Kenny Atkinson remain potential candidates for the Lakers. However, entering negotiations knowing they weren’t the first choice may cause them some hesitation.
The Lakers aren’t known for their patience. Considering their current roster and recent performance levels, potential coaching candidates might be deterred. No one wants to risk their reputation on a team they don’t believe can compete for a championship. Consequently, the Lakers are in a difficult situation. They have few options left and are running out of time to appoint a new coach before the NBA Draft.
Pelinka is paid to handle this kind of pressure. He understood the risks when he decided to fire Ham, knowing the coaching market lacked elite veteran talent. Now, he must resolve this situation and convince LeBron James that he can still compete for a championship with the Lakers. Otherwise, the Lakers might find themselves searching for a new vice president of basketball operations along with a new head coach.