Dan Hurley contract vs. NBA coach salaries: How Lakers' reported deal would compare to 2024 UConn salary

The Lakers appear destined to make a splash in their search for a new head coach.

For weeks, it seemed all roads led to JJ Redick. The former NBA veteran-turned ESPN analyst had been bandied about as the next big thing in Tinseltown after reports emerged claiming he was the top candidate for the Los Angeles gig.

Things weren't quite as they appeared, however. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday that UConn coach Dan Hurley, not Redick, was gaining traction as the favorite to man the Lakers in 2024-25. Conversations are set to take place in the coming few days and Los Angeles' front office is expected to table a "massive, long-term" contract to the two-time NCAA champion.

Hurley, 51, has taken the Huskies to new heights during his tenure on the sideline, spearheading back-to-back national championship runs in Storrs. For his efforts, he's been compensated handsomely, surpassing the likes of Tony Bennett, Brad Underwood and Eric Musselman. He even makes more money that fellow UConn legend, Geno Auriemma.

MORE: Why the Lakers are targeting Dan Hurley over JJ Redick

The NBA is an entirely different beast, however. If he wants to make the leap to the professional circuit, he'll do so with the added cushion of a couple million dollars.

Here's what you need to know about Hurley's current Huskies deal and how it compares to the tithes tacticians receive in the Association.

MORE: Seven potential replacements for Dan Hurley at UConn

Dan Hurley contract vs. NBA coach salaries

At present, Hurley makes $5.25 million per season as UConn's head coach. He inked a six-year, $31.5 million contract prior to the 2023-24 campaign, seemingly locking down his future at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion until 2029.

There are some caveats to that reported figure, namely that it doesn't include incentives. It's also worth noting that Hurley's contract extension was inked a year before John Calipari left Kentucky. If the timing was a bit different, Hurley likely could have added a few more M's in his bank account.

MORE: Highest-paid men's college basketball coaches

Nevertheless, Hurley is doing fine by the collegiate standard. He is far and away the state of Connecticut's highest-paid employee, dwarfing Geno Auriemma's $3.2 million salary in 2023. Hurley also sits seventh on the highest-paid coaches list, trailing only Bill Self, John Calipari, Tom Izzo, Bruce Pearl, Rick Barnes and Scott Drew in yearly income:

At present, Hurley is making good money. If he were to try his luck in the Bigs, he would likely receive more of it.

Although there are college coaches like Self, Calipari and Izzo making more dough than their NBA counterparts, the salary floor for NBA coaches hovers around $4 million, according to USA Today. First year bosses Darko Rajakovic (Toronto) and Will Hardy (Utah) are believed to have netted around that amount in their maiden NBA seasons. The ceiling, meanwhile, is astronomical. Just last year, the Pistons gave Monty Williams $78.5 million over six years. That's an average of $13.5 million a season. Detroit won 14 games this season.

Leverage is king in the NBA. Doc Rivers had it in abundance following Adrian Griffin's midseason dismissal as Bucks head coach. Title-winning tacticians like Mike Malone and Nick Nurse were placed in similarly favorable positions during contract talks. Hurley has that in abundance, too. Although he hasn't made the grade on an NBA franchise, he doesn't actually have to leave Connecticut. The Huskies appear on the brink of college basketball dominance. And with five years left on his current deal, he's certainly in an advantageous negotiating position.

UConn coach Dan Hurley: "We're going to be one of the best teams again. We're very, very confident."

— Gavin Keefe (@GavinKeefe) June 5, 2024

First-year coaches tend to receive less money than their more experienced counterparts in the NBA. However, name and brand recognition can go a long way. Having another head-coaching gig doesn't hurt, either; Hurley, much like prep-to-pro predecessor Billy Donovan, has a well-paying job in hand already. By comparison, coaches like Hardy, Rajakovic, Chauncey Billups (Portland) and Jamahl Mosley were tethered to assistant roles prior to their ascendancy up the coaching ranks.

Hurley is in prime position to make even more of a bag than he did in Storrs. He can do so while leading one of basketball's most prominent brands, a franchise befitting of his own bravado and tactical nous. Will it work? It's hard to say. Will people watch? Undoubtedly.

Highest-paid NBA coaches 2024