Dan Hurley will stay coach of the Connecticut Huskies. The Los Angeles Lakers did not make him the franchise’s subsequent coach after main UConn to back-to-back nationwide titles when Hurley declined the staff’s reported six-year, $70 million supply, retaining him tied to Storrs, Connecticut, as he appears to be like to hitch John Picket as the one males’s faculty basketball coach to three-peat. (Picket, by the way in which, seven-peated. Hurley has a methods to go there.)
The choice is a boon to the Large East and the perfect program inside it — and on the opposite facet, a crushing blow to the Lakers, who had reportedly been eyeing Hurley since beginning its search within the wake of Darvin Ham’s ouster.
Under are the winners and losers from the fallout of Hurley’s L.A. stiff-arm and his option to run it again with UConn.
Winner: UConn retains their man
Let’s get the apparent out of the way in which first. The College of Connecticut, bar none, walks away right this moment as the largest winner of the ordeal. It went toe-to-toe with the Los Angeles Lakers and efficiently fended off the traditionally proud franchise to retain its coach. Hurley is negotiating a brand new take care of the college, nevertheless it’s unlikely the cash is in the identical ballpark because the deal he turned down. For UConn, that claims rather a lot in regards to the state of this system and the consolation he and his household have with the place they’re at proper now. — Boone
Loser: Jeanie Buss cannot get deal accomplished
That is at the very least the third time that Jeanie Buss has did not safe her most well-liked teaching candidate. The 2012 pursuit of Phil Jackson was stymied by her brother, Jim Buss, who most well-liked Mike D’Antoni and technically managed basketball operations on the time. The 2019 pursuit of Ty Lue was a way more direct illustration of her shortcomings as an proprietor. The Lakers supplied Lue, a former champion, solely three years and $18 million to educate the staff. He justifiably balked. When the Lakers landed Frank Vogel, additionally they dedicated to him for simply three years. When he gained the 2020 championship, he was rewarded with a one-year extension ten months later.
Clearly, a $70 million supply for UConn’s Hurley represents a big bounce within the type of cash the Lakers are keen to supply a coach, however but once more, it is in need of what the market dictated. The Pistons, a staff with far much less income to work with, paid Monty Williams extra final offseason on a $78.5 million deal. Confirmed NBA champions like Lue, Steve Kerr, Erik Spoelstra and Gregg Popovich are making much more than that on a per-year foundation. Maybe Hurley should not be paid as a lot as the perfect coaches within the NBA on benefit, but when you are going to lure a lifelong East Coast resident to California and away from his shot at a three-peat, you’d higher come at him with a godfather supply. The Lakers did not. As soon as once more, this staff’s hesitance to spend on something aside from star gamers has come again to chunk them. That is a mirrored image on the proprietor. – Quinn
Winner: Faculty basketball retains its finest coach
In an offseason wherein faculty soccer nationwide champion-winning coach Jim Harbaugh walked away to hitch the professionals as coach of the L.A. Chargers, faculty basketball will get a lift in hanging on to its reigning, repeat title-winning coach. It could have been comprehensible had Hurley bounced — it is LeBron James, it is L.A., it is the Lakers — however in staying at UConn, the school hoops world retains its finest coach within the fold. Bonus: Hurley additionally occurs to be the perfect quote within the recreation and a real wild-card who might at any level create a viral second from the sideline. — Boone
Loser: Faculty basketball groups nonetheless chasing UConn
Sure, sure, I do know: I simply listed faculty basketball a winner. However make no mistake: faculty basketball on the whole is totally a loser right here. Dropping Hurley would possibly’ve leveled the enjoying area a bit for colleges vying to win titles. With Hurley again, UConn for the foreseeable future will stay one among, if not the largest, hurdles to doing so for different faculty basketball groups. It is a dynasty that may simply be getting off the bottom. Good luck, groups not named UConn. Good luck. — Boone
Winner: Whoever in the end will get the Laker job
Immediately, the optics of hiring a dangerous candidate like JJ Redick are a bit higher. They’re not positioning him as a generational younger teaching prospect as stories have been earlier than the Hurley flirtation. Now, the Lakers can at the very least say they tried to go the normal route. That takes some strain off of Redick, or whoever is in the end employed, as a result of the expectations will not be almost as excessive. It additionally doubtless would not damage that the Lakers have tipped their palms financially a bit. A $70 million supply for Hurley may need been a low-ball, however by the usual of most coaches, that is a windfall. No different candidate we all know of at the moment goes to command such a wage, nevertheless it’s onerous to think about they’re going to low cost out on their final choice after throwing that a lot at Hurley. They will not wish to make it appear as if they’re settling, in any case. – Quinn
Winner: Hurley’s checking account will get a lift
Hurley signed a deal final yr after main UConn to a championship however he’s as soon as once more in line to signal a brand new deal within the quick future after repeating with the Huskies. Matt Norlander says he expects the brand new deal to topple the $8 million mark yearly, which might make him one of many highest-paid coaches in faculty basketball. And turning down Kentucky and the Lakers in the identical offseason doubtless ensures UConn will smash the piggy financial institution open and do every little thing it might probably to get Hurley and his workers paid handsomely. Here is extra from ESPN: — Boone
Dan Hurley has turned down the Los Angeles Lakers’ six-year, $70 million supply and can return to chase a 3rd straight nationwide title at UConn, sources instructed ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Lakers would have made Hurley one of many NBA’s six highest-paid coaches. However earlier than opening talks with the Lakers, Hurley already had a suggestion from UConn to turn out to be one of many highest-paid NCAA coaches, and people talks will proceed, sources instructed Wojnarowski.
Loser: Rick Pitino nonetheless in Hurley’s shadow
There are a number of candidates who might’ve made runs on the subsequent King of the Large East had Hurley hoofed it to L.A. — Shaheen Holloway, Shaka Good, Sean Miller amongst them — however none have been extra certified than Rick Pitino at St. John’s. As a substitute, Pitino and his Johnnies stay an afterthought not solely within the Large East, but in addition within the northeast — the place Windfall and UConn stay the large canines of the area within the convention. — Boone
Winner: Alex Karaban’s choice appears to be like higher
Regardless of a powerful pre-draft expertise that included a stellar displaying on the NBA Draft Mix, Karaban, a two-time champion with UConn, opted earlier this month to return to highschool. Now he’ll achieve this with the identical coach who as soon as recruited him. It might’ve been a tad awkward had he got here again just for his coach to bail, however he returns to highschool a projected future first-rounder with a coach whose perception in him has helped mildew him from a sub-100 nationwide recruit to a probable top-30 decide. That stability ought to assist him as he appears to be like to construct off a profession yr and launch into the NBA. — Boone
Loser: Younger Lakers want a pacesetter
The theoretical profit to hiring a coach like Hurley was that he might construct a long-term infrastructure geared in the direction of player-development. The chances of a first-time NBA coach competing for a championship off the bat are comparatively low, however Hurley would possibly’ve accomplished wonders for gamers like Austin Reaves, Max Christie and Rui Hachimura, described in reporting as the kids the Lakers deal with as core items. The coach they in the end rent might effectively show simply as able to serving to them develop, however with out having such a agency plan in place, it is price questioning if the Lakers, as a staff, shall be as dedicated to a long-term strategy. Would a coach with a extra conventional NBA background be extra open to the concept of buying and selling these younger gamers to win now? Traditionally, the reply to that query is often sure. We do not have a agency grasp on the Lakers’ offseason plan past discovering a coach, however this was a giant missed alternative for his or her youthful gamers, particularly. – Quinn
Winner: Large East shall be higher
Followers of non-UConn groups within the Large East would possibly disagree — however it is a win for the league as an entire. The game on this period facilities round big-name coaches as a result of extreme motion throughout the switch portal and the one-and-done rule. Hurley at UConn will stay the face of the league — and of the game — as long as he is there. The eye he attracts this season, and the fact that he simply turned down the Los Angeles Lakers to proceed teaching within the Large East, speaks volumes. — Boone
Loser: Large East referees shall be getting an earful
Sideline antics from Hurley over time has been one of many greatest sources of consternation from Large East referees. He always toes the road between applicable and too aggressive, and having seen him teaching the Last 4, he’s all the time chirping about one thing to officers. Pour one out for the zebras who would possibly’ve thought they have been accomplished coping with him. Here is to many extra technical fouls sooner or later. — Boone
Winner: Anthony Davis might get his alternative
LeBron James has largely stayed out of this Lakers rent, in line with a lot of the reporting. His agent, Wealthy Paul, instructed Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes that the Lakers needs to be considering extra about Anthony Davis anyway. Nicely, the reporting so far signifies that Davis has a most well-liked alternative, and it wasn’t Hurley. In keeping with Marc Stein, his prime decide could be James Borrego, who has head-coaching expertise in Charlotte and Orlando and crossed over with Davis briefly in New Orleans. Borrego is the one candidate recognized to have interviewed a number of occasions in particular person with the staff. Redick is the apparent pivot right here, however Davis’ blessing would absolutely hold Borrego within the working. If the Lakers actually are making ready handy the staff over to Davis, choosing his most well-liked coach would look like a wise transfer. – Quinn