"I believe that Dan Hurley approached the Lakers": Skip Bayless makes bizarre case for UConn HC rejecting $70 million NBA offer

After an intense hiring saga, Dan Hurley rejected a $70 million deal from the Los Angeles Lakers to continue at UConn. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news a few weeks ago and it’s all ended with the two-time national title-winning coach not making the move.

Nonetheless, Skip Bayless has refused to believe the way the whole hiring story turned out. Speaking on “Undisputed,” he alleges that Hurley approached the Lakers for the vacant head coaching, citing the late meeting with him and the fact that other candidates were interviewed before him.

“I believe that Dan Hurley approached the Lakers, not vice versa. Even though they tried to sell from the start, our focal point of the start of our search for a coach was Dan Hurley," Bayless said.

“Then why would you wait a whole month before you would talk to even meet him? That was the first time Jeanie [Buss] and Rob Pelinka had ever sat face to face with Dan Hurley was a month into your coaching search after you had interviewed James Borrego at least twice.”

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Skip Bayless cites Adrian Wojnarowski’s link to the Hurley family

Skip Bayless isn’t bringing out his conspiracy theory without some evidence. He cites the link between Adrian Wojnarowski, the ESPN insider who broke the whole hiring story, and Dan Hurley’s family. This is a reason why a large part of the story might have been cooked up.

“This story broke from Adrian Wojnarowski, who is very close to the Hurley family because he wrote the book ‘The Miracle of St. Anthony,’ which featured Bob Hurley, the father of obviously Dan and Bobby, who coached a great high school team in Jersey City. So Woj is plugged in there,” Bayless said.

Over the years, Wojnarowski has broken a host of inside news concerning the Hurley family. His connection with the family is undoubted and this makes Hurley’s hiring saga with the Lakers unbelievable to Bayless.

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Bayless believes JJ Reddick was the preferred choice, not Dan Hurley

Speaking further on “Undisputed,” Bayless alleges that Dan Hurley is not the Lakers’ preferred choice. He believes that the preferred candidate is JJ Reddick.

“Shams reported just a week ago that the Lakers have zeroed in on JJ Reddick. The Athletic was strong and he is the choice, it is almost about to happen… Doesn't that conclude Dan Hurley introduced himself to this?”

The Lakers will continue their coaching search for the next couple of weeks with Hurley out of the option. He will return to help UConn chase their third consecutive national championship.