Analyzing chances that UConn replaces Dan Hurley with Steve Pikiell despite large buyout

During an emergency edition of the College GameDay Podcast, ESPN’s Rece Davis and Pete Thamel were joined by Jeff Borzello to discuss UConn head coach Dan Hurley being pursued by the Los Angeles Lakers. There have been rumblings and rumors of plenty about who would replace the reigning two-time national championship head coach should he head to the NBA.

Borzello thinks UConn will promote one of its assistants to replace Hurley. However, Thamel sees a candidate currently not part of the program but who has deep ties to it: Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell. But how likely is it that the Huskies go after the Scarlet Knights head coach, and what roadblocks, if any, would stand in the way of their reunion?

“I think that if they do open it up and go kind of outside the current staff, he would be a name,” Borzello said. “But again, that buyout you mentioned; those are the kind of buyouts that I don’t think they would pay. Nate Oats is very tight with Dan Hurley. Would Hurley recommend him for the job? Probably, but Oats’ buyout is something like $16 or $18 million. And that’s not entirely feasible, especially for UConn. $13 million might be too much for them to spend, too. So that’s why. There’s just so many factors that I think would just lend them to promoting from within, whether that’s on a short-term [or] long-term basis.”

Pikiell, who is 56, played at UConn from 1987- 91. After his playing career wrapped up with the Huskies, he would join their coaching staff as an assistant for two seasons. From there, he had a handful of coaching staff before becoming the head coach at Stony Brook in 2005 where he remained until taking the records job in 2016.

As Borzello mentioned, arguably the biggest obstacle in UConn hiring Pikiell is the financial side of the puzzle. Currently, the Rutgers head coach is tied to the program until the 2030- 31 season after he signed an 8-year extension back in 2023. And with that extension, he has a buyout of nearly $13 million. Should UConn want to bring back their former floor general as their next head coach, if Hurley leaves, it’ll likely cost them a pretty penny to do so.

As for who are the internal candidates the Huskies could promote, Borzello’s list is only two names long.

“The likelihood would be that they would go for some continuity and promote from within,” said Borzello. “Now, whether that’s Luke Murray, I think, perhaps, the more likely option would be Kimani Young. He’s been the associate head coach, been under Dan since Dan got to UConn in 2018.”