Charles Lee Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bucks Expected To Interview Atkinson, Borrego, Lee, Others

May 10th, 2023 at 1:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks have been granted permission to meet with Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson about their open head coaching job, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).

According to Wojnarowski, Milwaukee’s own assistant Charles Lee and former Hornets head coach James Borrego are among the other candidates expected to interview with the Bucks as they seek a replacement for Mike Budenholzer. The team’s search will extend beyond those three candidates and will include additional interviews, Woj adds.

Atkinson, Lee, and Borrego have been popular candidates for teams seeking a new head coach this spring. Atkinson and Borrego both met with the Rockets before they hired Ime Udoka, and Atkinson was reportedly set to interview with Toronto as well. Lee, meanwhile, interviewed with the Raptors and is considered a finalist for the Pistons’ open position.

Atkinson and Borrego have previous head coaching experience, while Lee has served as an assistant under Budenholzer since 2014, first in Atlanta and then in Milwaukee. Atkinson coached the Nets from 2016-20; Borrego coached the Hornets from 2018-22. Like Lee, Atkinson previously worked on Budenholzer’s staff with the Hawks.

Wojnarowski previously speculated that the Bucks’ wish list could include at least one candidate who is currently the head coach of another NBA team, which is a rumor that Eric Nehm of The Athletic has heard as well. However, it’s unclear which coach(es) those reports might be referring to.

Pistons Notes: Coaching Search, Free Agency, Cunningham

May 9th, 2023 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

First named as the frontrunners for the Pistons‘ head coaching job back on April 21, former UConn and Overtime Elite head coach Kevin Ollie, Bucks assistant Charles Lee, and Pelicans assistant Jarron Collins are still considered the finalists for the position, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

A previous report indicated that the top candidates for the Pistons’ coaching vacancy would meet with the organization’s top decision-makers, including owner Tom Gores. Charania confirms that those meetings are happening this week and that they’ll involve Ollie, Lee, and Collins.

Interviews with ownership typically represent the final stage of a head coaching search, so barring a new candidate entering the mix at the 11th hour, it seems possible that the Pistons could make a decision by the end of the week.

Here’s more out of Detroit:

James L. Edwards III of The Athletic identifies 10 free agents who make sense as potential targets for the Pistons this summer, starting with former Detroit forward Jerami Grant. Edwards’ list includes noteworthy restricted free agents like Cameron Johnson and Austin Reaves as well as less heralded unrestricted free agents such as Torrey Craig and Yuta Watanabe.
Shawn Windsor of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required) believes the time is right for Pistons general manager Troy Weaver to pursue an established veteran in free agency to supplement the team’s young core. Johnson and Khris Middleton are among Windsor’s suggestions.
Keith Langlois of Pistons.com looks ahead and considers what to expect from former No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham in 2023/24 following a lost season. As Langlois details, Cunningham has tried to make the most of his injury absence, using his time off to bulk up and to work on his three-point shot.
In case you missed it, we published our Pistons offseason preview last week.

Pistons Notes: Coaching Search, Ollie, Murphy, Draft Picks

May 5th, 2023 at 6:00pm CST by Rory Maher

The Pistons could hire a new head coach soon, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, who reports in his latest mailbag that the top candidates for the job are set to meet with owner Tom Gores next week in Los Angeles.

Bucks associate head coach Charles Lee, former Connecticut and Overtime Elite coach Kevin Ollie, and Pelicans assistant Jarron Collins are considered the leading candidates. However, Edwards believes that Ollie, a former NBA player, is the frontrunner for the position.

Here’s more on the Pistons:

DeJanai Raska says she was sexually harassed and assaulted by former assistant GM Rob Murphy over a period of several months, she tells Tresa Baldas of The Detroit Free Press (subscriber link). There are too many details to list here, but Raska reported her allegations to the Pistons last fall. The team put Murphy on leave, but didn’t announce that he was fired until after Raska sued both the organization and Murphy. “I grew up in the city really looking up to the Pistons, the Bad Boys … and to be treated this way is heartbreaking,” Raska said.
Who are the top five prospects Detroit should be considering with its first-round pick, which can land no lower than fifth overall? Edwards ranks those players in order for The Athletic. Obviously Victor Wembanyama is No. 1, but Brandon Miller edges out Scoot Henderson for No. 2. Rounding out Edwards’ top five are Henderson, Houston forward Jarace Walker and Arkansas guard Anthony Black.
On a related topic, if the pick does land fifth in the lottery — and there’s a 47.9% chance that it will — who should the Pistons select? Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscriber link) makes the case for Villanova wing Cam Whitmore, arguing that his physical tools and flashes of shooting make him the best choice at that spot.

Stein’s Latest: Hart, Pistons, Brooks, Borrego, Raptors, Lee

May 5th, 2023 at 1:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Knicks forward Josh Hart is “generating no shortage of chatter” as his free agency nears, Marc Stein writes at Substack. Hart holds a player option for 2023/24, but is expected to turn it down in favor of a more lucrative multiyear deal.

While there would certainly be many teams around the NBA interested in making a play for Hart if he’s truly available, Stein hasn’t talked to a rival team that views the 28-year-old as “gettable.” According to Stein, potential suitors for Hart view it as inevitable that the CAA client will re-sign with the Knicks, whose front office is run by former CAA head of basketball Leon Rose.

The Knicks will hold Hart’s Bird rights entering the offseason, giving them the ability to re-sign him for any amount up to the maximum without regard for cap room.

Here’s more from Stein:

According to Stein, the Pistons have been mentioned to him more than once as a team to keep an eye on for free agent forward Dillon Brooks this summer. Detroit is expected to have a chunk of cap room available and will likely be in the market for help on the wing.
Having previously reported that former head coach James Borrego is drawing interest from Dallas for a spot on Jason Kidd‘s staff, Stein says there are other teams interested in hiring Borrego as an assistant coach, including the Pelicans. Stein identifies the Rockets and Nets as two more teams that may pursue Borrego, noting that both Ime Udoka and Jacque Vaughn have previously worked with Borrego.
The Raptors interviewed Bucks assistant Charles Lee for their head coaching position on Thursday, league sources tell Stein (Twitter link). ESPN previously reported that Toronto met with Lee, who is also in the mix for the head coaching opening in Detroit and could emerge as a candidate in Milwaukee if the Bucks are willing to consider an in-house replacement for Mike Budenholzer.

Raptors Taking Broad Approach To Head Coaching Search

April 27th, 2023 at 6:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Raptors have been granted permission to interviews a number of prominent assistant coaches for their head coaching job, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.

Toronto parted ways with Nick Nurse, who coached them to a championship, after the season. The Warriors‘ Kenny Atkinson, Bucks‘ Charles Lee, Suns‘ Kevin Young, Spurs‘ Mitch Johnson, Kings‘ Jordi Fernandez, Grizzlies‘ Darko Rajakovic and Heat‘s Chris Quinn are among the assistant they plan to interview. However, that list could expand.

Lee is one of the top candidates for the Pistons’ head coaching vacancy. Atkinson, of course, was previously the Nets’ head coach.

The Raptors will also look at ex-NBA head coaches, as well as NCAA and WNBA coaches. Regarding the latter, they have gained permission to speak with former Spurs assistant and current Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon. She led the Aces to last year’s WNBA championship.

As previously reported, they are also expected to interview current assistant coach Adrian Griffin.

Charles Lee, Kevin Ollie, Jarron Collins To Get Second Interviews With Pistons

April 24th, 2023 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Pistons are moving on to the second round of interviews in their search for a new head coach, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Bucks associate head coach Charles Lee, former Connecticut and Overtime Elite coach Kevin Ollie and Pelicans assistant Jarron Collins will all meet with team officials again this week, sources tell Wojnarowski.

All three were recently identified as early frontrunners in the process by James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Marc Stein previously stated that Lee and Ollie were considered favorites of general manager Troy Weaver, while Edwards said Collins had a “stellar” first interview with the organization.

The Pistons have been without a coach since Dwane Casey announced after the end of the regular season that he will transition into a front office role.

Latest On Pistons’ Head Coaching Search

April 21st, 2023 at 1:53pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons began conducting interviews for their open head coaching position earlier this week, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, who reports that a trio of candidates have emerged as potential frontrunners in the early stages of the process.

Former Overtime Elite head coach Kevin Ollie, Bucks assistant Charles Lee, and Pelicans assistant Jarron Collins are the top three candidates for Detroit’s coaching vacancy so far, says Edwards.

The Pistons had Ollie and Lee high on their list entering the process, according to Edwards, and have now interviewed both of them. Marc Stein identified the duo earlier this week as possible favorites of general manager Troy Weaver, though he noted that vice chairman Arn Tellem would also have “considerable influence” in the search.

As for Collins, the Pistons were “very interested” in the veteran assistant when they began their search, says Edwards. League and team sources tell The Athletic that Collins’ interview with the club was “stellar.”

None of Detroit’s early frontrunners have previously served as NBA head coaches, though Collins and Ollie played in the league.

Lee, who competed in international leagues as a player, has been a longtime assistant under Mike Budenholzer in Milwaukee and Atlanta, while Collins was on Steve Kerr‘s staff for seven years in Golden State before moving to New Orleans under Willie Green in 2021. Ollie lacks any sort of NBA coaching experience, but coached at UConn for eight seasons (six as head coach) and led the Overtime Elite program for two years.

The Pistons have no definitive timetable to make a hire and will take their time to evaluate candidates, according to Edwards, who says that more contenders could emerge over the course of the search.

Pistons To Interview Rex Kalamian For Head Coaching Job

April 17th, 2023 at 3:27pm CST by Rory Maher

The Pistons will interview assistant coach Rex Kalamian this week for their head coaching vacancy, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Kalamian is a veteran assistant coach who is currently in his 26th NBA season in that role. He has made previous stops with the Clippers (twice), Nuggets, Wolves, Kings (twice), Thunder and Raptors, and has been with the Pistons for the past two seasons.

It was previously reported that Kalamian might receive some consideration from GM Troy Weaver for the head coaching job after Dwane Casey decided to transition to a front office role. Kalamian previously worked with Weaver while they were with Oklahoma City.

Kalamian, who is also the head coach of the Armenian national team, served as acting head coach earlier this season when Casey missed some time due to personal reasons.

While conceding that it’s still early in the process, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack piece (subscriber link) that he’s heard “consistent buzz” that Weaver might favor Bucks assistant Charles Lee and former UConn coach Kevin Ollie for the opening. However, Stein notes that Arn Tellem, Detroit’s vice chairman, is thought to have “considerable influence” in the coaching search.

Bucks Notes: Middleton, Budenholzer, Lee, Playoff Series

April 15th, 2023 at 7:29pm CST by Arthur Hill

Khris Middleton is confident that he’ll be available for his regular role when the Bucks open their playoff series on Sunday, writes Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Middleton hasn’t played since he aggravated his sore right knee April 5, but he was able to participate in his second full practice Saturday.

“It took about two days to kind of get it to go away and get back to being myself,” he said. “Doing a little bit more rehab this past couple days. The long break I think has been great for everybody to freshen up and that’s exactly what I tried to do, take advantage of this time to get my body right.”

It has been an injury-plagued season for Middleton, who was only on the court for 33 games. Owczarski points out that he had his most productive stretch after being inserted back into the starting lineup March 7 following a bout with knee pain. In the 11 games since then, Middleton averaged 19.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.0 assists while shooting 47% from the field.

“Playing those minutes, being in the starting lineup, playing with a lot of those main guys out there, I felt like I’d been doing it for years,” he said. “I’d been saying it, my body was feeling great for a while up to that point so it wasn’t a huge a confidence reach. It was a little bit to say, OK, yeah, I could still do this, but I felt more like myself again in that role and in those minutes.”

There’s more from Milwaukee:

Mike Budenholzer offered a ringing endorsement for assistant Charles Lee, who is among the candidates for the Pistons‘ head coaching position, Owczarski adds. Lee began working under Budenholzer with the Hawks in 2014 and followed him to Milwaukee four years later. “Charles Lee is, I think, one of the top guys in our league,” Budenholzer said. “… He’s great as the associate head coach. He’s great as somebody the players the trust, the players believe in, the players follow his lead. I trust him to the nth degree.”
The Bucks will enter their playoff series with a huge rest advantage over the Heat, who had to go through two play-in games, observes Steve Megargee of The Associated Press. Most of Milwaukee’s regulars haven’t played since they clinched the No. 1 seed on April 5. “It’s kind of tricky because you might go and play the first game and you’re rusty,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said. … “You might play the first game and you have so much energy and play great basketball. We’ll see.”
Eric Nehm of The Athletic examines the matchups in the series and speculates on how Budenholzer will handle his rotation with the starters expected to see expanded playing time.

Pistons To Interview Kevin Ollie, Charles Lee For Head Coaching Job

April 14th, 2023 at 2:54pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons are interviewing Kevin Ollie for their head coaching vacancy, sources tell Shams Charania and James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link).

A former NBA point guard, Ollie began his coaching career after retiring as a player in 2010. He was the head coach at UConn from 2012-18 and won a national title with the Huskies in 2014 but lost his job after the NCAA opened an investigation into UConn and its coaches for recruiting violations.

More recently, Ollie was the head coach of the Overtime Elite program for two years, beginning in 2021. He issued a statement last month announcing that he was leaving that position.

In addition to meeting with Ollie, the Pistons have been granted permission to interview Bucks assistant Charles Lee as they seek a replacement for Dwane Casey, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Wojnarowski classifies Lee as a “significant” candidate in Detroit’s search.

Lee is a former Bucknell shooting guard who played professionally in international basketball leagues for several seasons. He has been a longtime assistant under Mike Budenholzer, first with the Hawks (2014-18) and now with the Bucks (since 2018).

Lee and fellow Bucks assistant Darvin Ham received consideration for multiple head coaching openings before Ham was hired by the Lakers last spring — Lee has a chance to be the next Budenholzer assistant to land a head coaching job during this hiring cycle.

Wojnarowski, who previously reported that Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin and Heat assistant Chris Quinn would be candidates the Pistons consider, reiterates today (via Twitter) that Griffin and Quinn are expected to “factor prominently” into Detroit’s search. The Pistons are expected to receive permission to interview both veteran assistants, sources tell ESPN.