Dan Hurley Uncertain About NBA Move After Turning Down Lakers' Offer

Dan Hurley remains uncertain about his NBA future after declining an offer from the Los Angeles Lakers. Will he make the leap to the pros, or stay in college basketball for now? Read more.

By Rakesh Mehra

Published on Sep 13, 2024 | 11:03 PM IST | 61.9K

Image Courtesy: Twitter

The Los Angeles Lakers chose Dan Hurley as their top candidate to replace head coach Darvin Ham after his success with back-to-back national titles at UConn. Their interest in Hurley was serious, flying him and his wife Andrea to Los Angeles to court them.

Although Hurley considered the offer carefully, he ultimately declined, opting to pursue a third consecutive championship at the college level. As a result, the Lakers turned to JJ Redick, appointing him as their new head coach, despite his lack of prior coaching experience.

Reflecting on his decision to turn down the Lakers, Hurley admitted on 'In Depth' with Graham Bensinger that his NBA future might be uncertain, saying, "I don’t know. If you’re not going to take the Lakers job, then what job are you going to take?"

Reports suggested that Hurley’s desire for control played a significant role in his decision, as he oversees every aspect of UConn's program. He confirmed this, expressing his passion for shaping young men's lives in a way that’s not possible at the NBA level: “I love being part of this transformation at a critical point in a young man’s life, where you can make a big impact on their future. That’s something I realized I love about being a college coach, which you don’t experience as an NBA coach.”

Jeanie Buss was understandably disappointed that the Lakers couldn't secure Dan Hurley, but it was clear his heart was set on staying at UConn, making it the right decision for him.

Now, the responsibility of restoring the Lakers to prominence falls on JJ Redick, a challenging task given the team's lack of roster improvements this summer.

Redick, who is well-acquainted with Hurley and has expressed admiration for his coaching, emphasized that he wasn't bothered by the Lakers' initial pursuit of Hurley before hiring him.

"I want to follow up on what Rob mentioned. When we first met in Chicago and the process began, I was getting ready to call Game 1 of the NBA Finals when the news about Dan Hurley broke," Redick said.

On June 10, 2024, the Los Angeles Lakers initially offered Dan Hurley a six-year, $70 million contract to become their head coach. However, Hurley chose to remain at UConn to aim for another championship with the Huskies.

After Hurley's decision, the Lakers shifted their focus to Redick, offering him a four-year contract worth about $32 million, or roughly $8 million per season. This hiring marks a major transition for the Lakers, as Redick steps into his first head coaching role following a successful playing career and work as a broadcaster.

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