The Boston Celtics are shedding one other high-ranking assistant coach. In response to Adrian Wojnarowski, Charles Lee has agreed a four-year cope with the Charlotte Hornets to develop into their subsequent head coach.
ESPN Sources: Boston Celtics lead assistant Charles Lee has agreed on a four-year deal to develop into the Charlotte Hornets’ subsequent coach. https://t.co/aLi2LoE92s
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) Could 9, 2024
Wojnarowski has additionally confirmed that Lee will end up the postseason with Boston earlier than transitioning into his new position. As such, the Celtics will keep away from a repeat of the Damon Stoudamire scenario from final season, the place he left the staff instantly after agreeing to develop into the brand new head coach of Georgia Tech.
The Hornets shall be getting a extremely skilled coach. Lee spent 4 years with the Atlanta Hawks, 5 years with the Bucks, and this 12 months with the Celtics. He helped Milwaukee win a championship in 2021.
Lee has been within the working for a number of head teaching roles lately. He held interviews with the Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns and Toronto Raptors.
Now, Lee will get the chance to guide a rebuilding roster. Charlotte already has two franchise cornerstones in place, with LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. Grant Williams has been a success with the franchise since becoming a member of on the Feb. 8 commerce deadline. Moreover, the Hornets have some tradable property and a string of draft picks. Lee shall be strolling into a superb scenario.
Most encouragingly, for the first-time head coach, Lee gained’t have the stress of a contending staff on his shoulders. He’ll seemingly be allowed the room to develop and develop as a head coach whereas his roster improves and naturally evolves.
Boston will now be searching for one other assistant coach through the offseason as Joe Mazzulla’s workers fluctuates. Nonetheless, that is the third head coach up to now two seasons to come back out of Boston and right into a head teaching position — Will Hardy and Stoudamire are the opposite two.
That’s a implausible indictment of the expertise Boston continues to placed on the sidelines and may very well be a fantastic bargaining chip when trying to fill Lee’s soon-to-be-vacated spot. Earlier than any of that may occur, the Celtics have a championship to try to win, so for now, all focus will seemingly stay on the duty at hand.
