The Los Angeles Lakers’ failed attempt to lure Dan Hurley from UConn to be their next head coach drew a ton of attention earlier in the week. The two-time national champion turned down the Lakers’ offer for a chance to go back to Connecticut.

There is a silver lining in everything. Even though the Lakers weren’t able to get their preferred candidate, they got more insight into where LeBron James’ head is ahead of free agency.

Hurley joined Colin Cowherd’s show “The Herd” on Thursday and disclosed his interaction with the 39-year-old superstar. He said that LeBron texted him over the past weekend and offered his support to the UConn head coach.

LeBron James Tried To Recruit Dan Hurley to the Lakers

This is excellent news for Lakers fans. If LeBron James is out there trying to recruit the next head coach, it presumably means that he is staying with the Lakers.

LeBron James has a player option for the 2024-25 season. The expectation is that he would decline that and sign a lucrative, multi-year deal. The Lakers have obviously been the frontrunners to re-sign him but LeBron hasn’t made his intentions clear.

Up until now.

Despite the widespread belief that LeBron prefers his podcast co-host JJ Redick as the next head coach, his reaching out to Hurley to discuss basketball and the Lakers means that he is still committed to staying in LA, regardless of who the head coach is.

Now, the ball is in the front office’s court. Not only do they need to make sure LeBron gets what he wants financially, but they also have to surround him with the right head coach and an improved roster.