The Los Angeles Lakers were set to pull out the purse to make Dan Hurley a very rich man — and the head coach of the historic franchise — but the UConn bench boss declined the offer.
BREAKING: Connecticut’s Dan Hurley has turned down the Los Angeles Lakers’ six-year, $70 million offer and will return to chase a third straight national title, sources tell ESPN. LA would’ve made him one of NBA’s six highest paid coaches. pic.twitter.com/hEXo3o00SR
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 10, 2024
While no official odds were even offered for Hurley to become L.A.'s next HC, Adrian Wojnarowski's report last Thursday had the basketball world in shambles.
Somewhere, most likely in a podcast studio, JJ Redick is smiling ear-to-ear as he had the best odds to land the job before they were taken off the board.
Back to the drawing board
Lakers fans were excited for the opportunity to land one of college basketball's premier coaches, and why wouldn't they be? Hurley is coming off back-to-back NCAA titles with the Huskies and is in a very rare spot to three-peat at the collegiate level. Ironically, that spot is what most likely caused him to decline the Lakers' generous offer.
As swept away as Hurley became by the Lakers courtship and vision for him, he ultimately couldn't walk away from a chance to make history and pursue a third straight NCAA title. Even before Lakers talks, Hurley already had a UConn offer to become one of highest paid NCAA coaches…
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 10, 2024
The Lakers are now back to the drawing board, in search of the next man to take hold of a team with such lofty expectations. Redick was last favored before the odds were taken off the board, but one can only assume the position is his to lose now that Hurley is out of the picture.
Los Angeles Lakers next coach odds
| Candidates |  |
|---|---|
| JJ Redick | -115 |
| James Borrego | +425 |
| Sam Cassell | +500 |
| Tyronn Lue | +1000 |
| David Adelman | +1200 |
| Kenny Atkinson | +1200 |
| Monty Williams | +3000 |
| Terry Stotts | +3500 |
| Juwan Howard | +4000 |
| Frank Vogel | +4000 |
| Jay Wright | +4000 |
| Mark Jackson | +5000 |
| Mike D'Antoni | +5500 |
| Becky Hammon | +7000 |
| Jerry Stackhouse | +7500 |
| Chris Quinn | +7500 |
| Jared Dudley | +8000 |
| Dave Joerger | +14000 |
| Adrian Griffin | +15000 |
| Royal Ivey | +16000 |
| Pau Gasol | +20000 |
Odds as of 5-15 (*off the board on 6-6)
Favorites to become next LA Lakers head coach
J.J. Redick (-115 | 53.49% chance)
Any discussion about the next Lakers coach begins and ends with one thing — how well can they co-exist with LeBron, who has basically been a player/coach/GM for years.
Right now, nobody on this list has a better rapport with 'Bron than Redick, who co-hosts the "Mind the Game" podcast with James; where they both nerd out on basketball Xs and Os and talk about the more technical aspects of the game.
Redick, who also works as an analyst for ESPN, doesn't have any actual coaching experience... but is that necessary when LeBron calls the shots anyway? He gets a smart basketball mind, a close friend of his, and someone who thinks on the same wavelength as him.
James Borrego (+425 | 19.05% chance)
Sam Cassell (+500 | 16.67% chance)
Sources have told The Athletic that, after Redick, the next two primary targets are Borrego and Cassell.
Barrego was a long-time Spurs assistant coach under Gregg Popovich, winning two titles with the organization, who is currently a Pelicans assistant and, with his NBA coaching experience, Adrian Wojnarowski directly called out as a "name to watch."
He doesn't have any direct NBA head coaching experience, but neither does Cassell — although he does bring a higher profile name and NBA playing experience.
Cassell is a 16-year NBA vet and three-time NBA champion, with 15 years of experience as an NBA assistant coach after going directly from player to coach. The long-time point guard would bring a blend of playing and coaching experience, while also having no problem handling the feisty LA media.
A reunion (sort of) in the works?
Tyronn Lue (+1000 | 9.09% chance)
Sometimes it's best to just go with what you know — and the Lakers could opt to do that by hiring Lue, a former Lakers player who is used to coaching in Hollywood... as he's currently the head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Helping Lue's case would be his familiarity with LeBron, as Lue was a coach (first assistant then HC) with the Cavaliers during James' second tour in Ohio, helping lead the franchise to its only NBA Championship in 2016.
Lue isn't officially available as of now, but his head coaching experience plus familiarity with the city — and with the Lakers' star player — make him an interesting option.
Lakers next coach pick
By Jason LoganDavid Adelman
Pick made 5-3
Adelman is one of the most sought-after assistants in the NBA, stacking his resume with championship experience on the Denver Nuggets staff — the team that just so happened to send LeBron & Co. packing the past two postseasons. He has a solid coaching pedigree, passed down from his dad Rick Adelman, and it shows in his blueprint for the Nuggets’ offense.
Another notable name — that’s not on the odds board, however — is newly-retired NBA guard Rajon Rondo. While he hasn’t held a coaching position at the pro or college levels, he’s regarded as one of the smartest players of his generation and got the thumbs up from LeBron himself during James and Redick’s podcast series. Rondo would be able to lean on LeBron as he got his feet wet as an NBA head coach.
As a Lakers fan... I don’t hate this idea.
Los Angeles Lakers Next Head Coach Odds FAQs
ESPN broadcaster (and LeBron's podcast co-host) JJ Redick is the current favorite to be the Lakers' next head coach.
The Los Angeles Lakers fired coach Darvin Ham on Friday after just two seasons in Hollywood.
Former Michigan coach Juwan Howard has the shortest odds of anyone coming directly from college, but he is still a long shot.
