Charlotte Hornets name Boston Celtics assistant Charles Lee as new head coach
Rick Schnall is apparently a man of his word.
Less than 24 hours after the Charlotte Hornets co-owner told The Observer he anticipated the official hiring of Steve Clifford’s successor to happen soon, the Hornets on Thursday announced Boston Celtics associate head coach Charles Lee as the team’s new head coach.
He replaces Clifford, who is moving into an advisory role after retiring from coaching, and received a four-year contract, a source confirmed.
Lee, who was immediately identified by The Observer as a front-runner for the job last month, is expected to be formally introduced when the Celtics’ playoff run is complete. Boston, a favorite to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals next month, is currently matched up with Cleveland in the semifinals.
“The opportunity to be the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets is a dream come true,” Lee said in a statement. “I want to thank Rick Schnall, Gabe Plotkin and Jeff Peterson for the trust they are placing in me to lead this team.
“The Hornets have a talented young core of players and I’m excited about our future and what we can build here. There are few places as passionate about basketball as the Carolinas, and I look forward to coming to Charlotte and getting to work.”
--- Hornets' Brandon Miller is the real deal, even as Wemby is named NBA’s top rookie ---
Lee, 39, has slowly risen up the coaching ranks, and being a part of multiple staffs makes him knowledgeable about the ins and outs of compiling a roster of coaches, which is going to be key as he formulates his with the Hornets. He also understands what it takes to develop talent and that’s a necessary ingredient for the head coach of a continuously lottery-bound franchise.
Prior to joining the Celtics this past season, Lee spent five seasons as an assistant coach for Milwaukee. He was an integral part of the Bucks winning the NBA title in 2020-21, serving as Mike Budenholzer’s right hand man.
Lee’s NBA career as an assistant coach started in Atlanta, where he was on the Hawks’ staff for four seasons. It’s where he initially met Peterson, the Hornets’ vice president of basketball operations. That familiarity put Lee in the driver’s seat for the Hornets’ gig, and now the two thirtysomethings are reunited in Charlotte trying to dig the franchise out of its losing rut.
Lee beat out JJ Redick, among others, for the job. And he’ll be tasked with getting the Hornets back to respectability and helping the franchise snap the league’s longest playoff drought.
--- Who stays, who goes? Breaking down Hornets’ roster, where things stand for 2024-25 ---
“We are excited to welcome Charles Lee as the head coach of Charlotte Hornets,” 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. I can’t wait for our Hornets community to meet Charles, his wife Lindsey and his beautiful daughters, and feel Charles’ passion for the game and the intensity of his desire to win.”
