The Hornets have formally named Steve Clifford‘s successor, announcing in a press release that they’ve hired former Celtics assistant Charles Lee as their new head coach.
Lee will finish his playoff run in Boston before officially joining the Hornets, according to the announcement. Sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link) that Lee will sign a four-year contract with Charlotte.
“We are excited to welcome Charles Lee as the head coach of Charlotte Hornets,” Hornets head of basketball operations Jeff Peterson said in a statement. “His high character and his ability to connect with players while also instilling a culture of accountability will serve us well as we construct a competitive team built for long-term success.
“Charles possesses a championship pedigree with a wide range of basketball knowledge and NBA experience, has a tremendous work ethic and is a great communicator. He shares our vision for this organization, and I look forward to partnering with him in building something special here in the Carolinas.”
Long viewed as the frontrunner in the Hornets’ head coaching search, Lee spent several years playing professionally in international leagues from 2006-10 before transitioning into coaching.
He was an assistant at Bucknell from 2012-14, then worked under Mike Budenholzer in Atlanta from 2014-18 and in Milwaukee from 2018-23, winning a title with the Bucks in 2021. Following Budenholzer’s ouster last year, Lee was hired by the Celtics as Joe Mazzulla‘s lead assistant for the 2023/24 season.
Lee has been one of the NBA’s most popular head coaching candidates in recent years. He either interviewed with or received consideration from the Celtics, Pelicans, Magic, and Wizards in 2021; the Hornets, Lakers, Kings, and Jazz in 2022; and the Pistons, Bucks, Suns, and Raptors in 2023.
Lee has a preexisting relationship with Peterson, who worked in Atlanta’s front office when Lee was a Hawks assistant. Hornets co-owner Rick Schnall was a minority stakeholder in the Hawks at that time.
Charlotte had been in the market for a new head coach because Clifford announced in early April that he would be stepping down from his position. He’s reportedly expected to transition into a front office role following his second stint coaching the Hornets.
Lee will take over a Hornets team that is still very much in retooling mode, though there are some intriguing foundational pieces in place, led by forward Brandon Miller and guard LaMelo Ball. Miller finished third in Rookie of the Year voting this spring; Ball has battled ankle issues in recent years, but is a former Rookie of the Year who has an All-Star berth under his belt and is still just 22 years old.
The Hornets are the second team to complete a head coaching search since the regular season ended, joining the Nets (Jordi Fernandez). The Wizards and Lakers continue to seek new coaches.
Should be a good hire if they just let him coach and develop.
Or if they help him out and actually draft players who can play….
Great hire for Hornets, big loss for Celtics!
I don’t understand these NBA GMs, just because a team is winning they go right away and hire their assistant coaches, ten years ago every San Antonio Spurs assistant coaches have offered a coaching job position just because San Antonio was a Winning team but since the Spurs are a losing team nobody from their coaching staff are even taken under consideration for a coach because Pop isn’t not longer the best coach of the league. Same happened with Steve Kerr and Phil Jackson assistant coaches, I think in these NBA era the easy way to get a a coaching job is been an assistant coach on a winning team nothing else matters.
Imagine that… teams hiring from winning/successful programs.
Weird concept.
Ditto for folks assuming a hire is good or bad before we’ve seen them coach a single gane. Being a head coach is very different from being an assistant coach, for starters.
Hopefully for the Hornets sake the decision will work out regardless. But I generally agree with your point. Too many organizations prioritize the wrong factors when it comes to selecting a new head coach.
Happens in every sport
Astros hired away guys from the cardinals success
Teams are constantly hiring away guys from the Rays success
Patriots had many guys hired away during their run now it’s the chiefs and 49ers
And you do see fruit produced. Texans hired away DeMeco Ryans and Bobby Slowik from the 49ers. But you also see just same old same old from teams like the Bears.
Becky Hammond, spurs assistant, now back to back wnba titles
I hope for the Hornets that the ink is already dry and he doesn’t pull a Kenny Atkinson.
Good luck making Melo play defense.
Charles Lee is a great hire!!! He’s only 39 years old and young head coach that will get to coach a young team with some talent on it. LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Mark Williams, Nick Richards, Grant Williams, and Nick Smith. Then they have the 3rd pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.