Stephen A. Smith is not always on the same page as his ESPN colleagues, which is perfectly normal given the debate nature of “First Take” and sports media conjecture in general, but things have gotten surprisingly tense on occasion over the past few weeks.

On Tuesday, he made a claim regarding Dan Hurley’s decision to stay at UConn instead of becoming head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers that was met with some steadfast disapproval.

“Allow me to tell you what sources in LA told me,” Smith said, per Awful Announcing. “They thought they had a deal with Danny Hurley…I can assure you there are people within the Lakers organization who believe that Mrs. Hurley made that decision.”

Longtime “First Take” host Molly Qerim quickly fired back and told Smith not to state that information on air because she believes it to be false.

It is unclear if her objection stems from the notion that the Lakers feel such a way, or if she disagrees with the idea of Hurley’s wife, Andrea Hurley, being the reason the two-time defending national championship-winning head coach is not leaving Storrs, Connecticut.

“They thought they had a deal with Danny Hurley…I can assure you there are people within the Lakers organization who believe that Mrs. Hurley made that decision.” – Stephen A. Smith on Dan Hurley turning down Lakers head coaching job.

In any case, Qerim clearly did not want the narrative to be spread on the ESPN airwaves. On the surface, it is not outrageous to conceive individuals within the Lakers holding this assumption. Moving across the country is a major life decision that obviously involves a coach’s spouse. There were surely conversations held between the Hurleys about the Lakers’ HC job, and opinions could have been shared.

Though, perhaps it is the wording Smith used that is drawing him some pushback.

Stephen A. Smith was being the messenger, but did he overstep?
Although Smith did not profess to know if Andrea Hurley actually told her husband to decline the Lakers’ contract offer, Qerim might be concerned that people will jump to that conclusion regardless. Fans could have a field day with the sentence “Mrs. Hurley made that decision” and potentially take it out of the context Stephen A. Smith intended.

Either way, there are plenty of Lakers supporters who feel she played a significant role in Dan Hurley returning to lead the Huskies. But the fiery head coach may just have his own motivations for not jumping to La La Land, namely the desire to achieve a three-peat and build UConn basketball into an unequivocal dynasty.

His roots, like that of his wife, reside in the Northeast. He possess the qualities that propelled Big East basketball to phenomenon status for decades. While Hurley’s incessant stomping and screaming is not for everyone, his passion is undeniable. However, that type of style may not mesh well in the NBA, or specifically with a Lakers squad that is led by veteran stars.

There are several reasons beyond how Andrea Hurley feels that could have pushed Dan Hurley to his ultimate choice, but in the end, it is irrelevant. LA did not reel him in and is now moving forward with JJ Redick as coach.

As we drift further away from this eventful offseason, many fans and pundits will dissect the entire Lakers-Hurley saga. It will be interesting to see how history shines upon it.