Dan Hurley, the celebrated UConn coach, recently hinted that a more substantial offer from the Los Angeles Lakers might have persuaded him to leave his position. The Lakers reportedly offered Hurley $70 million to become their head coach, but he turned it down. Several factors influenced his decision, including his desire to pursue a third consecutive NCAA national championship with UConn and his reluctance to relocate from the East Coast to Los Angeles.
While $70 million is a significant sum, it falls short when compared to the current coaching market. Monty Williams, for example, signed a $78.5 million deal with the Detroit Pistons, despite a rough season. Other top coaches like Erik Spoelstra, Gregg Popovich, Steve Kerr, and Ty Lue have all secured extensions that surpass Williams’ annual earnings, highlighting that the Lakers’ offer to Hurley was not as competitive as it might seem.
Is there an amount of money the Lakers could have offered Dan Hurley that would have resulted in him leaving UConn?
“To say that it’s not a motivating factor – the finances –to leave a place, it’s definitely a thing…To leave all that behind, there probably is a number. I don’t… pic.twitter.com/5nsMtFNpYn
— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) June 13, 2024
During an appearance on the Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, Hurley subtly acknowledged that the Lakers’ offer was not sufficient. When asked if there was an amount that would have convinced him to join the Lakers, he responded, “Yeah, I think to leave, there probably is.” He clarified that his decision to stay at UConn was deeply rooted in personal and family connections, as well as his commitment to the program. Hurley emphasized that his choice was not a pressure tactic to secure a better deal with UConn but rather a reflection of his loyalty and the significant value he places on his current role.
Despite Hurley’s denial of using the Lakers as leverage, he admitted that financial considerations could play a role in leaving a beloved place like UConn. “To stay somewhere like UConn, it would never have been, I think, a financial thing,” Hurley explained. “But to leave a place that you feel the way we do… there probably is a number. I don’t know what that is.”
The Lakers, with their considerable financial resources, theoretically had the means to make a more enticing offer. Forbes estimated their operating income at $159 million last year, making them the second-highest in the league, and they are currently valued at $6.4 billion. However, their recent history of conservative spending on coaching contracts might have cost them Hurley. In 2019, they offered Ty Lue a low-ball three-year deal and only extended Frank Vogel’s contract for one year after he won the 2020 championship, reflecting a pattern of cautious financial decisions regarding coaches.
Hurley’s decision to stay at UConn underscores the complex factors at play when top coaches consider moves to high-profile NBA teams. While the financial aspect is significant, personal connections and professional goals also weigh heavily in such decisions.
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