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A couple of weeks ago, Dan Hurley became one of the most talked-about figures in NBA circles.
He hadn’t even taken the Los Angeles Lakers job and he was already being severely scrutinized.
However, even though he reportedly dreamed of coaching in the NBA, he had to respectfully decline the Lakers’ offer.
That was a major surprise, considering Rob Pelinka had offered him six years and $70 million to be their next coach.
Now, as shown by Adam Zagoria on Twitter, he’s agreed to sign a six-year contract extension worth $50 million to stay at the University of Connecticut.
Hurley turned down 6 years and $70M from the Lakers https://t.co/P0FSb4Ubtj
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) July 8, 2024
Simply put, Hurley took $20 million less not to coach the Lakers and stayed home instead.
That speaks volumes about the current state of a franchise that used to lure top-notch free agents like flies not so long ago.
The Lakers’ roster isn’t good enough to compete for an NBA championship, and the fans and media place unrealistic expectations on them.
$20 million is a lot of money, even for a wealthy NCAA coach already making millions, but the Lakers offer no job stability.
With the Huskies, Hurley has an opportunity to make history by winning three consecutive National Championships, all while calling all the shots and being in full control of his program.
As for the Lakers, having seven different coaches in a 13-year span doesn’t particularly scream stability, and they might have a tough time getting coaches and free agents to be interested in joining them again for as long as they keep the same approach.
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