This offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers signed Luka Doncic to a lucrative contract extension that will keep him with the franchise long term. It was a big commitment for a Lakers team that gave up substantial talent and draft compensation to shockingly acquire Doncic in February from the Dallas Mavericks.
The Lakers of course are coached by JJ Redick, but that didn't come to fruition until UConn basketball head coach passed on the job earlier in the 2024 offseason. Recently, Hurley spoke on his reaction when he found out that Doncic had been traded to the team he had previously considered coaching.
“A lot of it was Lakers fans direct messaging you that you’re the biggest moron… but then your mind goes there a little bit… you could have coached LeBron and Luka,” admitted Hurley, per Zach Lowe of The Ringer (via Fullcourtpass on X, formerly Twitter).
Indeed, getting to orchestrate plays for stars with the basketball minds of Doncic and James would seem to be any coach's dream. Instead, Hurley tried to win a third straight championship with UConn but ended up bowing out in the Round of 32 last year.
A big season for the Lakers
Coming into this offseason, the two biggest areas of need for the Los Angeles Lakers were their point of attack defense and frontcourt depth, both of which were thoroughly exposed by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the playoff series between the two teams last year.
The Lakers attempted to remedy those issues by signing Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton in the buyout market, but it remains to be seen whether or not Smart's health or Ayton's motor will become an issue for Los Angeles, as they have at their previous respective stops.
Still, Rob Pelinka and company clearly made an effort to turn the Lakers into a real contender this summer with limited resources at their disposal, and now it will be up to Doncic to prove that his commitment to improved conditioning will carry over into the new season.
Los Angeles will kick off the 2025-26 campaign against the Golden State Warriors on October 22.
