In a surprising turn of events, the Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly set their sights on Bobby Hurley as a front-runner for the vacant head coach position, according to The Athletic's Jovan Buha. The organization's pursuit of Hurley had been kept secret, even from key Lakers decision-makers.

Sources have revealed that the Lakers management and Hurley recently held a meeting in Southern California to discuss the possibility of a contract. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN has reported that the head coaching job would belong to Hurley if he chooses to accept it, although there has been no final decision made as of yet.

Meanwhile, Jay Wright, the retired coach who led Villanova to the Final Four in 2022, has expressed his interest in returning to coaching. In his retirement press conference, Wright mentioned that he no longer had the same drive he once had when he began his coaching career. However, recent connections to coaching vacancies with the San Antonio Spurs and Philadelphia 76ers have sparked speculation about his potential comeback.

Wright, now a CBS Sports analyst, had previously stated that he was definitively done coaching when asked about taking the head coaching job at Ohio State. Similarly, he firmly denied any interest in the head coach position at Kentucky. However, the opportunity to coach players like Anthony Davis and potentially LeBron James might entice Wright to reconsider his retirement.

Nevertheless, Wojnarowski's reports indicate that the Lakers are firmly set on pursuing Hurley for the position. The likelihood of Wright taking the job may only come into play if Hurley decides to return to the NCAA to continue coaching the Huskies in their quest for a championship three-peat.

As the Lakers await a final decision from Hurley, fans and analysts are eagerly watching the developments. The combination of Hurley's coaching prowess and the Lakers' star-studded roster could potentially shape the franchise's future success. Meanwhile, the possibility of Jay Wright returning to the sidelines adds an intriguing twist to the search for the Lakers' next head coach.