One of the biggest offseason assignments for the Charlotte Hornets has officially wrapped up. Charles Lee, the Boston Celtics’ lead assistant, will become Charlotte’s new head coach.
Lee, who likely won’t join Charlotte until next month once Boston’s postseason run concludes, will have to assemble a staff for his first go-around as a lead voice in the NBA.
One name to watch as an assistant coaching candidate in Charlotte — who also has vast experience working alongside Lee — is former Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham.
Ham, who was relived of his duties in Los Angeles after two postseason appearances, could receive looks for head coaching opportunities next season. However, is Ham willing to wait around for an opportunity that might not come around anyways in 2025? This is what makes Ham such an attractive potential lead assistant candidate for Charlotte.
Lee and Ham worked under the tutelage of Mike Budenholzer at two separate organizations — Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks — from 2014-2022. Ham went on to take the Los Angeles job that offseason, and now two years later Lee joins the ranks in his place.
How Lee goes about filling out his coaching staff will be one of the more interesting developments to follow over the next month-plus. Expect to see Charlotte interview assistant candidates that Lee is familiar with from his stops in Atlanta, Milwaukee and Boston.
Could Ham now join Charlotte to help Lee? Keep an eye on this one, folks.