There were a few days of spice when UConn’s Dan Hurley suddenly became the momentary favorite to fill the head coaching vacancy for the Lakers. The hype and buzz were colossal. Police and robust security were deployed outside of UConn’s training facility where Hurley was to announce his decision. As it stands, he chose to stay with the NCAA champions and launch a quest for a college three-peat. In the wake of the news, some interesting details were revealed.

Speaking about Hurley’s decision, Shams Charania noted how the Lakers never treated the ingenious Huskies coach as a candidate only after a certain point. “He [Dan Hurley] was not the #1 candidate to go and pursue from the start. They felt like there was an opening there for him. He was in contract negotiations with UConn. He was discussing the deal to go back and they felt like there was an opening. And they threw what really people believe was a Hail Mary offer to him,” Charania informed. Purple and Gold offered a 6-year $70 million deal to Hurley. It would have made the brainy coach one of the highest-paid HCs in the league. But after his denial, the Lakers were naturally forced to pivot again.

One would assume the job would be handed to JJ Redick, the candidate initially foreseen to take over the reins. However, instead of choosing LeBron James’ ideal pick, Rob Pelinka is reportedly leaning toward Anthony Davis’ favored choice. Not only did ESPN’s Jorge Sedano admit hearing whispers of Borrego’s hiring, but there are also some alarming reports describing Redick’s stance. “Some folks around the league feel JJ Redick won’t want to be involved with this circus, and that he won’t want to be a second choice, but he wants to coach,” Yahoo’s Vincent Goodwill noted.

James Borrego is currently the assistant coach for the New Orleans Pelicans and has previously worked as a head coach for the Charlotte Hornets. In comparison to Redick, a former sharpshooter turned analyst, Borrego seems to be the wiser choice not just for his experience in coaching but also the fact that he briefly worked with Anthony Davis when part of the Pelicans staff.

Even if their choice is made, the Lakers can’t rest just yet.

James Borrego is in huge demand

Borrego has met with the Lakers twice now. He has had a private meeting with Pelinka and also visited the Lakers facility to get a little dialogue with the staff and employees. If Redick didn’t exist, the series of events would be enough to convince the masses of Borrego being the next at the helm for the Lakers. But now it’s just not going to be as easy as they think.

The Cleveland Cavaliers also parted ways with J.B. Bickerstaff after their playoff loss to the Indiana Pacers. According to Bleacher Report, Borrego is scheduled to meet with the Cavaliers franchise as well. Given his history with the Hornets and the success he found with dynamic guards, the prospect of working with Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland could be much bigger. But it’s against another terrific opportunity of leading one of the most iconic sports franchises in the history of sports.

The Lakers job comes with allure, demand, and expectations. It’s a more complicated role in comparison to coaching the Cavaliers, who are a small market team. But they might be better suited for the tools Borrego carries.

If you were to choose, where would you want to see the former Hornets head coach go? Let us know in the comments below.

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