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‘Can Do a Hell of a Job’: Denver Nuggets Coach Michael Malone Comments on Lakers’ Interest in Dan Hurley
Denver Nuggets Coach Michael Malone dismisses Lakers' interest in Dan Hurley, expressing confidence in his abilities. Read more
The LA Lakers have focused their head coaching search on University of Connecticut coach Dan Hurley and received an endorsement from Nuggets coach Michael Malone.
During an appearance on The Jim Rome Show, Malone highlighted his long-standing friendship with Hurley and expressed confidence in Hurley's ability to transition from collegiate to NBA coaching.
"I think Danny can do a hell of a job coaching in the NBA. Coaching is coaching. It's relationships," Malone stated.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers are preparing a "massive, long-term contract" for Hurley. This news came after Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Lakers are finalizing a contract offer for JJ Redick, who has a show with their superstar LeBron James.
At UConn, Dan Hurley has transformed the basketball program into a national powerhouse over his six-year tenure.
Under Hurley's leadership, UConn has made four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including back-to-back national championships in 2023 and 2024. The 2023-24 season saw the Huskies set a program record with 37 wins, finishing 37-3, and winning the NCAA Tournament by a combined 140 points, an NCAA record.
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Dan Hurley's name surfaces as Lakers potential coach candidate
After a disappointing playoff defeat to the Nuggets, the Lakers fired Darvin Ham. More than a month later, they are still undecided about who will fill the vacant coaching position. Former Magic star Gilbert Arenas has criticized the Lakers for their drawn-out hiring process.
On a recent episode of the "Gil's Arena" podcast, Arenas addressed the Lakers' approach, accusing the franchise of prioritizing business and entertainment over the actual hiring.
"The Lakers' motto is business and entertainment first. As long as they can keep the name in the algorithm, the Lakers are going to do it," Arenas remarked about the head coach selection process.
His co-host, Rashad McCants, agreed, saying, "It feels like they decided to prolong it. Now you throw out a couple of candidates until the end of the finals and then make their announcement that it’s JJ.
They’re just going to throw in a couple more motherf**kers who might seem a little more qualified or perfect for the job, and then they’ll end up picking JJ."
The Lakers have interviewed multiple candidates over the past few weeks, including JJ Redick, James Borrego, and Sam Cassell. Now, Dan Hurley's name has been added to the mix, with reports suggesting that the UConn head coach might receive a surprising offer from the Lakers.
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