Dub Hub: Lakers reportedly targeting UConn’s Dan Hurley as their next head coach

Rounding up all Warriors and NBA related news for Thursday, June 6th.

In today’s Dub Hub:

• Lakers are targeting UConn’s Dan Hurley to be there next head coach, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
• Draymond Green breaks down his prediction for the NBA Finals on the latest episode of The Draymond Green Show.
• The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports that Celtics’ Kristaps Porzingis expected to be available for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.

A surprise report emerged on Thursday morning regarding one of the Golden State Warriors’ Pacific Division rivals. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Los Angeles Lakers are targeting Connecticut head coach Dan Hurley for their head coach vacancy. Hurley led UConn to back-to-back NCAA championships over the last two years and is highly regarded for his innovative basketball schemes and ability to build a successful program.

Per the report, one of the reasons that the Lakers are specifically interested in Hurley is due to the limitations set by the new second apron. Big market teams that invested in a multiple superstar approach to roster building saw limited success in the postseason and will now face the added impediments of the second apron.

Per ESPN:

Part of the allure of Hurley traces back to the changing landscape of NBA roster building under the collective bargaining agreement. Because of the roster-building limitations of the new second apron, the ability of big-market teams to construct contending rosters by trading multiple draft picks and young players for a third star player has largely been eliminated. Beyond the 17th pick in this month’s draft, the Lakers have a young core of Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Max Christie that management believes can still show even greater improvement under Hurley’s coaching, sources said.

A stable coaching hire like Hurley puts an emphasis on long-term development and stability which could be something more big market teams, such as the Warriors, look into in the coming years as they navigate the new CBA.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Thursday, June 6th:

Warriors News:

Draymond predicts how Celtics-Mavericks Finals series plays out | NBC Sports Bay Area

On the latest episode of “The Draymond Green Show” podcast, Green made his game-by-game predictions on his way to crowning an NBA champion.

“My prediction personally is I actually think Boston’s going to take Game 1 because I think it will take some time for Dallas to get used to that size and that length, the switching, what you’re going to do, what’s your adjustment is going to be,” Green explained. “Kyrie [Irving] and Luka [Dončić] figuring out how they’re going to attack that. That’s going to take some time.

“However, I think Dallas figures it out, comes back and wins Game 2 in Boston. Going back to Dallas 1-1 I’ve got [the Mavericks] going into that place that they’ve been playing great and taking Game 3. I’ve got them then taking Game 4. With Dallas [having] a 3-1 lead I’ve got Boston taking Game 5 and I’ve got Dallas closing it in Game 6.”

Steph offers hilarious reaction to viral video of KD in club | NBC Sports Bay Area

After a recent Kevin Durant video went viral, Steph Curry reacted perfectly to his Olympic teammate’s dance moves.

In a video posted to social media, Durant was seen at a nightclub practicing his jump shot while on the dance floor, prompting an Instagram comment from Curry that read “USA USA USA ”

Golden State was driven by its beef with CP3 | SB Nation

Basically, the Warriors made an enemy of Paul as motivation for their run of success. They took extra delight in stifling a player they saw as manipulative and dirty, and in doing so only irritated him into more feisty behavior.

To really understand why Chris Paul becoming a Warrior is so weird, you’ve gotta understand the player-vs.-team beef that underscored that longstanding rivalry.

NBA Finals: 8 things Mavericks have in common with past champions | NBA

4. High-scoring backcourt

Why this trait matters: Having a pair of elite scorers/playmakers in the backcourt such as Doncic and Kyrie Irving is a matchup nightmare for most teams. Boston will counter with their pair of All-Defensive guards in Jrue Holiday and Derrick White in what will be fascinating matchups to watch.

This is similar to: The 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022 Warriors. The Splash Bros. averaged at least 45 points combined in each of their four title runs in Golden State. Those numbers don’t come close to Luka and Kyrie’s league-leading regular season combined average (59.5 ppg), but is closer to their combined playoff average (51.6 ppg).

Warriors share a thread of Chris Paul’s career achievements

NBA News:

Sources: Lakers preparing massive offer to UConn’s Dan Hurley | ESPN

The Lakers have had preliminary contact with Hurley and the sides are planning to escalate discussions in the coming days, sources told ESPN. Hurley has been at the forefront of the Lakers’ search from the beginning of the process, even while the organization has done its due diligence interviewing several other candidates, sources said.

Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka and governor Jeanie Buss are eager to formally discuss with Hurley their vision of marrying his dominant program — built upon his tactical acumen and his elite player development — with the storied Lakers brand, sources said.

NBA Finals Film Study: How will the Celtics defend Luka Doncic? | NBA

2. A big setting the screen doesn’t mean a big is defending it

The Celtics don’t always have their bigs guard the opponents’ bigs. Lively, who started both games against Boston this season, had Jayson Tatum as his primary defender. If Tatum is defending the screener, he can switch the screen and keep Doncic in front of him. Doncic’s initial defender (Jaylen Brown was the primary guy in the regular season) must then work to get between the roll man and the basket.

Celtics’ Kristaps Porzingis expected to return for Game 1 of the NBA Finals

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

Who are you rooting for in the NBA Finals?

I’ll be honest with you: I don’t want either of these teams to win! It’s been clear for a while that the Warriors. weren’t going to win another championship this year, but I held out hope that we’d get a winner I could have rooted for. Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Indiana Pacers? Sign me up for that one. But Mavs vs. Celtics?

Yikes.

Follow @unstoppablebaby on Twitter for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.