Dan Hurley turns down the Lakers

[Pat]

The Lakers are a complete mess right now. Had this been three or four years ago, I think Hurley makes the move. But LeBron isnt prime LeBron anymore even though he’s still making prime money, and AD and a bunch of role players isnt gonna be a good situation a year or two from now.

That’s kind of the point. There’s one more year of LeBron IF he opts in. AD is the only big guaranteed contract starting in ‘25, and he has 3 years left (2 plus a player option). So you get Hurley to develop young guys and build a team around AD and/or whoever they draft with picks when they trade him. LA doesn't have a ton of picks right now, but they are 0-12 months away from a ton of salary flexibility.

If LeBron was really running the show, they absolutely would have made deadline trades this year. Pelinka seems content to let this run the course, which is surprising, but not unwise.

 

[JP4CY]

Look who Goodman is pushing for:

 

[goody2012]

Look who Goodman is pushing for:

I actually do agree with this, he has an NBA mentality and temperament.

 

[HFCS]

That’s kind of the point. There’s one more year of LeBron IF he opts in. AD is the only big guaranteed contract starting in ‘25, and he has 3 years left (2 plus a player option). So you get Hurley to develop young guys and build a team around AD and/or whoever they draft with picks when they trade him. LA doesn't have a ton of picks right now, but they are 0-12 months away from a ton of salary flexibility.

If LeBron was really running the show, they absolutely would have made deadline trades this year. Pelinka seems content to let this run the course, which is surprising, but not unwise.

Not that I'd ever feel sorry for the Lakers, but in a way their ability to attract free agents almost works against them.

The way to win is to sign and develop young stars and build around them with great value pieces...yet if you're the Lakers you know you can always buy some star players who will want to put on a Lakers jersey. It's too tempting.

Even the Lakers last two dynasties they built around the star piece draft pick (Kobe and Magic) and supplemented with trades/signings. It hasn't been a dynasty with AD and LBJ (even though they are the #4 and #3 PER players in history) because they didn't really grow it from the ground up.

 

[cycloneman003]

I do love the on-going Shams vs. Woj reporting war here. Shams bascially alluding to the idea that Hurley, with Woj's help, used the Lakers for more leverage on UConn. Saying they did NOT have Hurley at the top of their list until they felt like last week there was an opportunity, thus implying that Woj's reporting was BS and that Hurley perhaps had some "fake" interest in the job to play the Lakers into the big contract offer.

 

[Flynn4Heisman]

I wouldn't go that far. They won a championship very recently.

I have got a bit of heat for this, but want to explain.

Yes, KU in basketball has dominated the Big 8 and Big XII for decades. Texas and OU football (OU especially) have countless conference titles (SWC, Big 8/Big XII), but I look at it from a National Title standpoint.

The way the sports media hypes up these schools makes you think historically they have won the National Title every other year or every few years.

Hell, I just found out the other day that the 2002 Ohio State BCS Championship was their first Title since 1970. Yes, they have dominated in the 21st Century, but what the f***?! 32 years?!

That's why I made the KU basketball/Texas football comparison. Especially with KU's two of their five National Titles being back in the 1920s. As we all know, "The Phog" is just another gym.

Texas is seemingly always "back" but then they fall on their face.

As Cyclone fans/alums, we will take what we can get (that sounds bad, but you know what I mean), but in my mind you can put up 30+ win seasons in basketball/10+ wins in football every year, but if you don't win the The Big One consistently enough, then how good are you really?

 

[IASTATE07]

I have got a bit of heat for this, but want to explain.

Yes, KU in basketball has dominated the Big 8 and Big XII for decades. Texas and OU football (OU especially) have countless conference titles (SWC, Big 8/Big XII), but I look at it from a National Title standpoint.

The way the sports media hypes up these schools makes you think historically they have won the National Title every other year or every few years.

Hell, I just found out the other day that the 2002 Ohio State BCS Championship was their first Title since 1970. Yes, they have dominated in the 21st Century, but what the f***?! 32 years?!

That's why I made the KU basketball/Texas football comparison. Especially with KU's two of their five National Titles being back in the 1920s. As we all know, "The Phog" is just another gym.

Texas is seemingly always "back" but then they fall on their face.

As Cyclone fans/alums, we will take what we can get (that sounds bad, but you know what I mean), but in my mind you can put up 30+ win seasons in basketball/10+ wins in football every year, but if you don't win the The Big One consistently enough, then how good are you really?

You wrote a lot to tell us your logic is terrible.

 

[VeloClone]

Maybe the guy is just happy coaching at UCONN and doesn't feel the need to have NBA Head Coach on his resume. He is at a salary bracket that a few more million a year is not going to change his lifestyle much at all. I mean does a person making 12 million a year really have that much better of life than the guy making 9 million a year?

I volunteer to participate in this study...

 

[VeloClone]

And then add in the much higher tax rates living in CA + the higher cost of living. I doubt he really wanted this job and was using this as potential leverage for future contracts.

Cost of living calculator I used stated that in order to break even on his $5.35M estimated salary in Connecticut, he would have to make just under $7.8M in LA.

Lakers offer reported to be 6 year, $70M which would average to $11.66M per year.

 

[VeloClone]

That is life changing money he turned down but he's living pretty comfortably without it too. The average shelf life for an NBA coach especially one without any prior NBA coaching expirience is not long so does money outweigh making a legacy? Coach K turned down the NBA and is one of the greatest coaches of all time. I would love to know if Hoiberg has any regrets for taking the Bulls job as he was on track to leave a legacy no one could touch at ISU had he stayed. His system may have been a bit flawed as we did not play good defense but he left with a loaded roster and who knows what momentum he would have had with that over the long haul and Covid.

I moved on from Fred quickly after he chose the Bulls and NBA over making a legacy for himself at ISU. All in on TJ right now who I get the feel he's about building a legacy here and not chasing fame and money. Always felt if a coach takes us to unprecedented territory in any sport where we win a national championship or build a program that can sustain a level to compete for championships our fans and donors will support it where we can pay them competitively to stay here.

And $5.35M per year isn't life changing money? Hell, a one time payment of $5.35M would be life changing for the vast majority of Americans.

 

[Cyched]

Cost of living calculator I used stated that in order to break even on his $5.35M estimated salary in Connecticut, he would have to make just under $7.8M in LA.

Sounds rough

 

[NWICY]

And $5.35M per year isn't life changing money? Hell, a one time payment of $5.35M would be life changing for the vast majority of Americans.

I'd sign up for that today, if given the chance. Id work a job I despise for a yr for that kind of money.

 

[VeloClone]

Sounds rough

Yeah, first world problems, right?

 

[jctisu]

And $5.35M per year isn't life changing money? Hell, a one time payment of $5.35M would be life changing for the vast majority of Americans.

Yep, and he's never getting fired from UCONN now, plus doesn't seem like the guy who wants to retire super early and sit around doing nothing.

He can coach at UCONN for 20-30 years (will continue to get raises) at let's even call it an average of $6.5M a year (being VERY conservative there) and have the same generational wealth.

Unless you are a moron (yes pro athletes fall into this in many instances) you are set for life, and so are your kids, with just a few years at $5.35M per year.

 

[Flynn4Heisman]

You wrote a lot to tell us your logic is terrible.

Yeah, reading it back, I can definitely see why I got even more sh*t for this, and you do have a bit of a point.

I guess I am just bitter and being a bit petty.

 

[CycloneErik]

And $5.35M per year isn't life changing money? Hell, a one time payment of $5.35M would be life changing for the vast majority of Americans.

I could retire happily on that right now.

 

[JEFF420]

Historically, the Lakers do not give coaches huge contracts. He makes $5.35M from UConn. Will he get more than that? Probably. But he won't get the $13-17M some NBA coaches are getting.

I would guess this is a leverage move to get a raise from and stay at UConn.

great call. i didn't see it coming

 

[CRcyclone6]

I volunteer to participate in this study...

You take the 12, I'll take the nine. Let's discuss in a few months.

 

[JP4CY]

I'm fascinated by LA specifically because after they won this Natty, he mentioned his wife is 100% thru and thru an East coaster and expects to be near Jersey.

A lotta family talk:

 

[JP4CY]