Bruins’ Lavin Expected to Sign 5-Year Contract

After much delay, UCLA Coach Steve Lavin is expected to sign a five-year contract worth about $1.5 million with the school sometime this week.

When Lavin was given the permanent job in February after serving as interim coach, Lavin and UCLA Athletic Director Peter Dalis quickly drew up a four-year deal that both verbally agreed to.

But after consultations with attorneys and agents, the deal was altered to include a fifth year--at approximately $300,000 per season--plus increased guarantees in the case of a firing.

Because of the limited guarantees built into his contract, Jim Harrick, Lavin’s predecessor, received only the remainder of his $140,000 base salary after he was fired in November, despite having more than $1.5 million left on the total value of the deal.