The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly offering Dan Hurley, the current head coach at UConn, a contract worth over $100 million guaranteed in an effort to lure him away from the college ranks. This would be an enormous, unprecedented offer for an NBA head coaching contract, dwarfing even the highest-paid NBA coaches like Steve Kerr and Gregg Popovich.

A potential 6-year, $100 million deal ($16.67 million per year) would put Hurley at the top of NBA coaching salaries, second only to Kerr. The Lakers are making this massive financial commitment as a sign of their strong belief in Hurley and desire to secure him as their next head coach, even though he has no NBA head coaching experience.

This type of offer is well beyond what any college basketball program could match, giving the Lakers a significant advantage in recruiting Hurley away from UConn. 

The Lakers are using their financial power in a major way here, a shift from their past reputation as penny-pinchers, as they try to land their preferred coaching target.

Truly, this is the Lakers using their financial might for one of the first times they have in years. If Hurley doesn’t come to Los Angeles, it won’t be because of lack of effort or a serious offer on the Lakers’ part.