After University of Connecticut head coach Dan Hurley turned down the Los Angeles Lakers’ reported offer of $70 million over six years, many have been trying to dissect what happened between him and the Lakers.
There has been a strong sentiment that L.A. got rejected because it didn’t offer Hurley enough money, something Hurley seemed to imply.
But others feel the team never had a chance to hire him because he simply wanted to use it as leverage to secure a bigger and better deal to remain at Connecticut. Some have even accused ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who is originally from Connecticut, of leaking the news in order to help Hurley and UConn.
While on the “Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz,” the New Jersey native shut down the notion that he was merely taking advantage of the Lakers.
“One of the worst takes I’ve heard is that this was a leverage play…I don’t need leverage here. We’ve won back to back national championships.”
– Dan Hurley shuts down the rumors that this was all some sort of leverage play to get a better contract with UConn.
— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) June 13, 2024
Assuming a bigger offer from Lakers owner Jeanie Buss would’ve gotten Hurley to leave the Northeast, one has to wonder how high that offer had to have been. There are realistic limits to everything, especially finances, and despite their reputation as a glitz and glamour franchise, the Lakers simply aren’t a cash-rich operation, at least relative to other NBA teams.