Dan Hurley reportedly turns down $70m to coach Los Angeles Lakers

UConn coach Dan Hurley has turned down the opportunity to become head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. according to ESPN.

After considering his decision this weekend, the Huskies head coach has apparently decided to pursue a third straight national championship with UConn. ESPN reported that Hurley informed UConn of his interest in talking to the Lakers on June 5 and spoke to his players the next day. Hurley, who has never coached in the NBA, told ESPN that the Lakers offered a “compelling vision.”

Hurley signed a six-year contract worth $32 million last year at UConn, but the Lakers reportedly offered him a massive contract — $70 million over the same period as his Huskies deal — that would have made him one of the highest-paid coaches in the NBA. After losing to the Lakers, Hurley is expected to sign a lucrative extension with the back-to-back national champions.

It’s the latest twist in the month-long race to replace Darvin Ham, who was fired in May after two seasons with the Lakers.

The Lakers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, but the 17-time NBA champions filled the void the week before the NBA Finals with steady leaks about the progress of their search for a title-winning coach — and almost as important – a coach who can entice LeBron James to end his career in purple and gold. James will become a free agent in July and the team had hoped the promise of a big-name coach would entice the future Hall of Famer to finish his career in LA.

The 39-year-old James just completed his 21st season and played at a higher level than anyone with that much experience in basketball history, but he has until June 29 to decide whether to accept his $51.4 million player option. wants to carry out the 2024-2025 season. .

James could take the deal, sign an even bigger new contract for even more years — or he could become a free agent for the first time in six years.

While 31-year-old Anthony Davis is the Lakers’ foundation on a long-term contract in Los Angeles, team owner Jeanie Buss and general manager Rob Pelinka are clearly determined to keep James around for as long as possible. let their willingness float to draft his son, Bronny, who just completed a short collegiate season at USC and is eligible for selection in the 2024 draft.

The Lakers will now turn elsewhere in their coaching search. JJ Reddick, James’ ESPN analyst and podcast partner, was a shocking front-runner for the job before Hurley’s name surfaced, despite his lack of coaching experience. James Borrego, the respected former Charlotte Hornets coach and ex-assistant to Gregg Popovich who played on New Orleans’ staff last season, is also reportedly being considered.

The team expects to have a new coach ahead of the draft on June 26.