How hiring UConn’s Dan Hurley might impression the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James and Bronny

One month after firing Darvin Ham, the Lakers are zeroing in on their subsequent head coach. Sources advised ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that Los Angeles is getting ready an enormous, long-term contract supply to pry two-time NCAA champion Dan Hurley away from the College of Connecticut. What would such a monumental rent imply for the Lakers — and the way forward for famous person LeBron James, who can change into a free agent this summer season? Our NBA and school basketball specialists break down what we all know and what might occur within the coming days and weeks.

Why are the Lakers concentrating on Hurley, a coach with no NBA expertise?

It is an audacious and inventive choice that displays the place school basketball is within the NIL period, the place the NBA is with its new collective bargaining settlement and the place the Lakers are after churning by way of coaches over the previous decade. (They have not had a coach final greater than three seasons since Phil Jackson.) There is not an ideal alternative, however this one would characterize a high-risk/high-reward choice with a coach with unquestioned expertise.

The opposite candidates, one among whom may nonetheless get the job, as Hurley just isn’t a completed deal, characterize a few of these qualities. JJ Redick has proven nice innovation and depth in X’s and O’s and has credibility with gamers. James Borrego has essentially the most expertise and has proved to be efficient at this stage. Sam Cassell is beloved as an assistant, has bonded with stars, and has a championship résumé. Hurley’s profile is completely different, however his star has by no means been increased.

— Brian Windhorst

What would Hurley carry to the Lakers? How would his teaching fashion translate to the NBA?

Over the previous few years, Hurley has established himself as one of many elite player-development coaches and tactical minds in school basketball. After his first nationwide championship with UConn, he had two gamers chosen within the 2023 NBA draft — together with lottery choose Jordan Hawkins, who noticed dramatic enchancment from 12 months 1 to 12 months 2 below Hurley. This yr, he had 5 gamers invited to the NBA draft mix and will have the primary two school gamers picked in Donovan Clingan and Stephon Citadel — neither of whom have been on this place once they arrived in Storrs.

From a tactical perspective, he is developed arguably the very best offense in school basketball, predicated on off-ball motion and 3-point taking pictures. It is a stark change from his offenses at Rhode Island and his early days at UConn, and represents a capability to adapt his X’s and O’s to the fashionable recreation. The offensive rules he is utilized additionally translate nicely to the NBA.

The most important query about Hurley’s teaching fashion comes from an emotional standpoint. He is infamous for his sideline histrionics towards referees — and opposing crowds, at occasions — and his practices are extremely loud, intense and full of their fair proportion of alternative phrases. Hurley’s depth has translated to loads of success at the highschool and school ranges and could be tough to fully change at 51 years previous, however he may need to dial it again for the NBA.

— Jeff Borzello

What would a Hurley rent imply for LeBron James?

For starters, it could imply his fourth coach in seven years with the Lakers, after taking part in for six completely different coaches over his first 15 years within the league. And it could imply his second consecutive coach, after Darvin Ham, to educate him with zero NBA head-coaching expertise on his résumé.

James has not had any conversations with the Lakers about Hurley – or Redick and the teaching search basically for that matter — a supply accustomed to the state of affairs advised ESPN on Thursday. James, by way of his representatives, has made it clear that the Lakers ought to do what’s finest for the group and is conscious and respectful that the Lakers have to decide on a coach that shall be with the crew past his taking part in profession.

James has already endorsed Hurley’s acumen, posting on X — satirically below a video of Redick interviewing Hurley — that the Connecticut coach is “so DAMN GOOD” and “tremendous artistic” along with his offensive schemes. Matching wits with James’ basketball thoughts has all the time been the important thing to an excellent partnership and is one thing James values as a lot if no more as a coach’s organizational abilities and demeanor.

After all, the concept of Hurley’s fiery demeanor translating from a 40-game collegiate season teaching youngsters to an 82-game NBA slate, holding a famous person like James accountable, stays a query mark. Nevertheless, sources near James have advised ESPN previously that whereas it may not all the time appear that approach, James likes being coached onerous and responds nicely to being held to a activity on the ground — whilst he nears 40 years previous.

— Dave McMenamin

What might the Lakers do that offseason to reinforce the roster for Hurley (or one other coach)?

The roster the Lakers have now, as Hurley is interviewing for the job, might look far completely different than the one he might coach in October.

All-Star Anthony Davis is below contract and all indicators level to James returning (he has till June 29 to train his $51.4 million participant choice). However there are questions on the remainder of the roster past the 2 franchise gamers, beginning with D’Angelo Russell’s $18.9 million participant choice.

If Russell opts in to his contract for subsequent season, Los Angeles just isn’t solely a luxurious tax crew as soon as once more, however will exceed the primary apron. If the Lakers re-sign restricted free agent Max Christie, they might then enter the restrictive second apron. A crew over the primary apron just isn’t allowed to take again extra money in a commerce, whereas a second-apron crew can not mixture contracts or ship out money in a commerce, and does not have entry to the $5.1 million taxpayer midlevel exception.

A state of affairs through which Russell doesn’t return opens up extra flexibility, together with entry to the $12.9 million midlevel exception and extra wiggle room to accumulate a participant in a commerce. Nevertheless, it could additionally go away the Lakers with a void at level guard.

The Lakers can even want to judge if trying to find a 3rd star to place alongside James and Davis is the very best course below the brand new CBA. The Lakers have three first-round picks (2024, 2029 and 2031) to commerce, however a extra prudent use of them could be to repeat how the Dallas Mavericks have utilized their draft belongings. In three separate trades, the Mavericks acquired Kyrie Irving, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, all key contributors to their NBA Finals crew. The price? Three first-round picks.

— Bobby Marks

How would a Hurley rent have an effect on the chance of the Lakers drafting Bronny James?

Clearly, it is too early to foretell how a lot affect Hurley may need over the Lakers’ method to the draft, with L.A.’s entrance workplace within the midst of preparations no matter this rent.

Whether or not the Lakers goal Bronny James, a projected second-rounder, may not be Hurley’s name, and I do not suppose there is a direct implication someway as to their rapid technique in cultivating the fringes of their roster. The Lakers will presumably goal a extra NBA-ready rookie with the seventeenth choose in the event that they maintain it, leaving the door open for them to take a longer-term prospect within the second spherical at No. 55.

Extra importantly, a significant impetus behind the Lakers concentrating on Hurley with a big long-term supply is his robust historical past of participant growth, one thing that holds worth to the group not solely within the second, but additionally because it prepares for the eventuality of a post-LeBron future.

Throughout this back-to-back title run, Hurley and his UConn workers did a superb job of figuring out undervalued expertise on the recruiting path and creating them into NBA prospects. Clingan and Citadel will come off the draft board early in a couple of weeks. Others akin to Cam Spencer and Alex Karaban (who’s headed again to UConn) benefited strongly from this system. It follows that if the Lakers in the end resolve to focus on Bronny James, the Hurley rent is one that would improve his probabilities of turning into a participant who sticks within the league long-term.

— Jeremy Woo