NEW: NBA Lakers Could Make “Massive” Offer to UConn’s Hurley, According to Reports

NEW: NBA Lakers Could Make “Massive” Offer to UConn’s Hurley, According to Reports

In April, University of Connecticut Men’s Basketball Coach Dan Hurley — who had previously been head coach at URI — said he planned to stay at UConn, who repeated as NCAA champions. 

Now, ESPN is reporting Hurley could be poised to leave — for the NBA. 

Adrian Wojnarowski at ESPN reported the following Thursday morning: 

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The Los Angeles Lakers are targeting UConn men's basketball coach Dan Hurley as the franchise's next coach and are preparing a massive, long-term contract offer to bring the back-to-back NCAA national champion to the NBA, sources told ESPN.

The Lakers have had preliminary contact with Hurley and the sides are planning to escalate discussions in the coming days, sources told ESPN. 

Hurley has been at the forefront of the Lakers' search from the beginning of the process, even while the organization has done its due diligence interviewing several other candidates, sources said.

At Rhode Island

Hurley had taken the UConn job in 2018, after leading the URI Rams to their first ever regular-season A-10 championship and a second straight NCAA Tournament appearance.