The Los Angeles Lakers are still looking for a head coach after Dan Hurley turned down their offer in favor of remaining in charge of UConn’s men’s basketball program.
The Lakers made a very big push for Hurley, though, and part of that push came from their best player in LeBron James, as the Huskies coach revealed that the pair texted each other during LA’s pursuit of him.
While Hurley quickly became Los Angeles’ top coaching candidate, many folks were expecting JJ Redick to be their top option given his ties to James.
And while that may be the case now, the fact that LeBron was chopping it up with Hurley indicates he had interest in working with him, although it’s a moot point now that he has returned to UConn.
.@dhurley15 reveals he exchanged text messages with LeBron James before deciding to return to UConn
Even LeBron James couldn’t convince Dan Hurley to join the Lakers
Connecticut Huskies head coach Dan Hurley shouts at his team during the Men’s NCAA national championship game against the Purdue Boilermakers
Mandatory Credit: Joe Rondone-USA TODAY NETWORK
James is the central figure on the Lakers currently, so it’s not too surprising to see that he was in contact with Hurley when it seemed like there was a very real possibility that he would become their head coach. Discussing basketball and figuring where they are aligned on certain strategies and philosophies is par for the course when these hirings appear to become close to completion.
Instead, Hurley opted to stay at UConn, leaving James and the Lakers out to dry. Where they go from here is as good as anyone’s guess, but it seems like Redick could end up being their top candidate moving forward. He obviously has a strong relationship with James, and he has proven during his time in the sports media world since his retirement from the league that he is a gifted communicator who also has a great mind for the game of basketball.
While there’s still obviously a long way to go, this could ultimately be what LeBron wants to have happen. While he obviously was receptive to Hurley potentially coming to town given his championship pedigree with UConn, James and Redick already have a bond considering the fact that they host a podcast together, so that could make his integration into the team easier than other candidates.
As for Hurley, he will remain with a Huskies team that has won back-to-back National Championships, and he seems incredibly motivated to three-peat next season now that he’s staying in town. It would have been interesting to see how Hurley fared in the NBA had he joined the Lakers, though, and whether he and James could have put LA back on a title path. Instead, Los Angeles will have to pivot to their backup targets, and their head coach search will continue to dominate headlines until they eventually settle on their next choice.
