Dan Hurley Declines Reported $70 Million Offer to Coach Los Angeles Lakers

UConn's head coach, Dan Hurley, has secured consecutive national championships.

UConn coach Dan Hurley has declined the opportunity to take on the role of head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers.

After careful consideration over the weekend, the Huskies' head coach has opted to pursue a third consecutive national championship with UConn. According to ESPN, Hurley expressed his interest in discussing the Lakers' position with UConn on June 5th and spoke to his players the following day. Despite the Lakers presenting a "compelling vision," Hurley, who has no prior NBA coaching experience, decided to remain at UConn.

Hurley had signed a six-year, $32 million contract with UConn just last year, but the Lakers reportedly extended a substantial offer of $70 million over the same duration as his Huskies deal, potentially making him one of the highest-paid coaches in the NBA. Following his rejection of the Lakers, Hurley is expected to negotiate a lucrative extension with the back-to-back national champions.

This development marks the latest twist in the Lakers' month-long quest to find a replacement for Darvin Ham, who was dismissed in May after two seasons with the team.

While the Lakers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, the 17-time NBA champions have been actively leaking information about their search for a coach capable of winning a title and enticing LeBron James to continue his career with the franchise. James, who is set to become a free agent in July, has until June 29th to decide whether to exercise his $51.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season.

James may choose to accept the deal, pursue an even larger contract spanning additional years, or opt to become a free agent for the first time in six years.

While 31-year-old Anthony Davis serves as the Lakers' cornerstone with a long-term contract, team owner Jeanie Buss and general manager Rob Pelinka are evidently committed to keeping James alongside him for as long as possible. They have even floated the idea of drafting James' son, Bronny, who recently completed a brief collegiate season at USC and is eligible for selection in the 2024 draft.

With Hurley out of contention, the Lakers will now explore other options in their coaching search. ESPN analyst and podcast partner to James, JJ Reddick, emerged as a surprising frontrunner for the job before Hurley's name surfaced, despite his lack of coaching experience. Additionally, James Borrego, a respected former Charlotte Hornets coach and former assistant to Gregg Popovich, who spent the previous season on New Orleans' staff, is reportedly being considered.

The team aims to have a new coach in place prior to the draft on June 26th.