Historical past says Dan Hurley will not be greatest coach for Lakers

Completely satisfied Friday, people! Welcome again to Layup Traces. Thanks a lot for becoming a member of me at the moment. I hope you’ve had a improbable week up to now.

When Adrian Wojnarowski first broke the information that the Lakers have been critically contemplating UConn’s Dan Hurley because the workforce’s new head coach, I couldn’t assist however make jokes.

I imply, the Kendrick vs. Drake comparability between Woj and Shams Charania was proper there. Shams says Redick is the man for weeks after which — BOOM — right here comes Woj blowing all of that to smithereens in a single morning. It was hilarious.

However after taking a little bit of time to consider it, I believe I’d really just like the rent. I’d particularly prefer it over Redick, who I nonetheless imagine is being thought-about partially due to his glorious podcast chemistry with LeBron James.

Details are information, and Hurley has coached his workforce to a school championship in back-to-back years. He’s bought years of expertise on completely different benches throughout the game. I believe he’s extra of a confirmed commodity than Redick is, and he’d even be good for the Lakers’ younger guys (particularly if Bronny James is definitely occurring).

However, once more, information are information. And whereas I do suppose this is likely to be a very good rent, loads of current historical past suggests it’s in all probability not the proper transfer for the Lakers to make.

Loads of groups within the NBA have employed head faculty coaches not too long ago. The outcomes have ranged from fairly, fairly, fairly good (shoutout to Larry David, the one man with two first names it is best to belief) to “wow, that was a dumpster hearth.”

• Brad Stevens: Stevens amassed a 350-281 report with the Celtics and got here one recreation away from an NBA Finals look
• Billy Donovan: Billy Donovan’s 399-319 report with the Bulls is stable, however has by no means actually amounted to something.
• Fred Hoiberg: Talking of the Bulls, Hoibgerg’s 115-155 report with Chicago was fairly dreadful.
• John Beilein: John Beilein didn’t even final a full season with the Cavaliers earlier than getting the boot.

The outcomes there are blended, at greatest. Larry Brown might be probably the most distinguished instance of a coach who jumped from faculty to the professionals and reached the mountaintop of the league. Stevens has come shut. However everybody else? It’s been fairly hit and miss.

That doesn’t imply that Hurley can be a nasty rent. Possibly he bucks the pattern! Who is aware of? But when current historical past tells us something, the Lakers shouldn’t be so fast to convey him in with out exploring different choices first.

Tanking helps!

Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports activities

Look, I do know the Mavericks are down horrendously proper now to the Celtics. It’s not trying nice for them.

However, hey! The truth that Dallas is within the Finals proper now’s a reasonably large accomplishment. It wouldn’t be attainable with out Dereck Energetic II, who wouldn’t even be a Maverick if Dallas didn’t tank on the tail finish of final season.

Our Bryan Kalbrosky wrote about how tanking helped the Mavs get to the place they’re proper now with Energetic. Dallas was so near not having this dude.

“In the event that they made the playoffs or if that they had worse lottery luck, their draft decide would have gone to the Knicks as a part of the 2019 deal for Porzingis. However as an alternative, they ended up with the No. 10 total decide within the 2023 NBA Draft.

Luckily for the Mavericks, they have been in a position to retain the decide. Dallas simply may have shopped the decide round to attempt to get rapid worth by buying and selling for a veteran. As a substitute, they chose Dereck Energetic II from Duke and have become one of many largest winners of draft night time.”

Now, you may’t even think about the Mavericks taking part in with out him. The workforce actually wouldn’t be the place it’s.

I do know all of us hate tanking—it’s an affront to the sport and makes for dangerous basketball. However the outcomes are the outcomes, people. It really works.

Want my Wizards luck, please.

Shootaround

— This Taylor Rooks meme is so humorous, man. I hope it by no means goes away. Meg Corridor has extra.

— JJ Redick offers Doris Burke a giant shoutout for her historic second throughout this yr’s NBA Finals broadcast. Right here’s Bryan with extra.

— Right here’s Blake Schuster on Adam Silver apologizing to Contained in the NBA for this extended (and public!) media rights negotiation from the NBA.

— Jaylen Brown is likely to be my Finals MVP off this dunk alone.

That’s a wrap, people! Thanks a lot for studying at the moment. We respect you. Have a improbable weekend. Peace.

-Sykes ✌️