Danny Hurley Can't Outright Deny Lakers, Must Hear 'Em Out, Dan Dakich Says

The L.A. Lakers want UCONN head coach Danny Hurley, and despite a fat new contract and an opportunity to go back-to-back-to-back, the coveted coach needs to listen to Lake Show execs, according to Dan Dakich, former Indiana University player and coach.

Dakich, host of Outkick's "Don't @ Me," joined Babcock on "TMZ Sports" (airs nightly on FS1) on Thursday -- only hours after news of the Purple and Gold's interest in Hurley rocked the basketball world -- and we asked the longtime player, coach, and media personality about the bigtime development.

"Well, you got to listen. You got to listen. I mean, you're talking the highest-paid NBA coach is [making] 17 and a half million. I don't give a damn. You got to listen," Dan said.

The question is ... would Danny and the Lakers even be a good fit?

Hurley, born and raised in New Jersey, has spent nearly his whole life on the East Coast. Danny starred at St. Anthony's H.S. under legendary coach and father, Bob Hurley Sr., before heading to Seton Hall Univ. in South Orange, NJ, where he played for P.J. Carlesimo.

Southern California, it turns out, is far, far away from Jersey, and the Northeast.

"It would be bad," Dakich began, before stopping himself ... "Not bad, it would be a unique fit."

"He's the epitome, Mike, of a Jersey East Coast guy. I mean, he is from the bingo hall in Jersey City. All of a sudden you're going to L.A., but Danny Hurley, he can adapt. And he would adapt."

Dakich, an Indiana Basketball Hall of Famer who played under the legendary Bobby Knight, before coaching at his alma mater (in addition to Bowling Green), said it'd be important for Hurley to find out where the organization plans to go over the next few years ... as LeBron James gets closer to retirement.

"[Danny] has to find out where the organization is, where LeBron is, where is the organization with LeBron. And if he gets the right answers and he feels comfortable, I mean, why not? He can always go back to college," Dan said.

"Look, Mike, if he flamed out in two years in the NBA, every college in America would be dying to hire him."

Of course, that's no shocker considering Hurley has a 141-58 at UCONN ... and has won two straight NCAA championships.

The Lakers have been conducting a coaching search since giving Darvin Ham the boot after losing to the Nuggets in the first round of the NBA playoffs. JJ Redick, Bron's podcast co-host, was reportedly the leader in the clubhouse for the job ... but it seems like that's changed.

According to reports, the Lakers are readying a huge, long-term offer for Hurley ... and while the UCONN head coach (for now, at least) hasn't publicly commented on the search, he did confirm to his team that he was talking to the Lakers.

There's more.

Should Danny only take the job if James commits to staying and playing in L.A.? Will DH actually pull the trigger and take the gig?