Are The Lakers Preparing A Surprise Friday Presser?

Some signs point to a possible L.A. announcement.

Sep 26, 2022; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka speaks during Lakers Media Day at UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Are the Los Angeles Lakers gearing up for a surprise Friday afternoon press conference?

One eagle-eyed fan, @ReviveMarc, took to X (the social media platform formerly known as Twitter), to point out a screen grab he caught of the Lakers' YouTube channel, which posted a "test" stream on Thursday, slated to be shown this Friday at 4:23 p.m.

The Lakers YouTube channel just posted this????? pic.twitter.com/EmZKDrBaQF

— ٰ (@ReviveMarc) June 7, 2024

It's quite possible this is nothing, just what it purports itself to be, a test stream, and the Friday evening schedule is arbitrary. It's also quite possible that the channel is planning to broadcast a legacy video or a new interview/highlights video that isn't time-sensitive, or that this is an intern screw-up.

Or — and this is the most exciting option — what if the Lakers actually have a head coach lined up that they can talk about with a few weeks to go before this season's draft?

Seemingly out of nowhere, Connecticut Huskies champion head coach Dan Hurley, fresh off claiming both of the last two NCAA championships, emerged as the Lakers' top preference for the gig, despite sharpshooter-turned-ESPN broadcaster JJ Redick and New Orleans Pelicans assistant coach James Borrego being long-rumored top contenders. Hurley's top coach, center Donovan Clingan, is seen as a surefire first round draft prospect this year, but his offensive limitations could see him fall out of the lottery and more into the terrain of L.A.'s own first rounder, the No. 17 pick.

Will team president Rob Pelinka be sitting alongside Hurley in just a few short hours? Time will tell.

More Lakers: Magic Johnson Makes It Clear How He Feels About Dan Hurley Coaching Los Angeles