During his one and only season with the Celtics, Charles Lee helped the team win its record-tying 18th championship then officially (and predictably) became the head coach of the Hornets.
On Tuesday, Charlotte officially welcomed Lee as the team’s 12th head coach, providing an opportunity for the management to defend its leadership decision.
āHeās an excellent communicator,ā general manager Jeff Peterson said,Ā per Steve ReedĀ of The Associated Press. āHeās competitive. Heās constantly trying to figure out ways to get better. I know that at night he goes to sleep thinking, āHow can I make the Charlotte Hornets better?ā And, heās a winner.ā
Lee was hand-selected by Boston’s head coach Joe Mazzulla during the previous summer. Although Lee was hired as the team’s top assistant, the Pistons and Raptors both expressed interest in the 39-year-old, so the Celtics had to wait patiently for the results of their head-coaching searches before acquiring him. Lee was a finalist for both positions.
In Boston, the goal was clear: either bust or banner 18. In addition to marking the end of Lee’s time with the Celtics, the final bell of Game 5 signified a mission accomplished as the team finished 16-3 in the postseason and celebrated in a confetti-filled TD Garden.
Now that Lee has settled in with the Hornets, things are very different for him. With just 21 victories, Charlotte fell 43 games short of the Celtics, who were dominating the Eastern Conference. As a result, Charlotte was selected with the sixth overall choice in Wednesday night’s NBA draft.
The Hornets have already praised Lee without him having to sit out a game, with Grant Williams, a four-season Celtic, among them for his kind remarks.
āIt definitely carries some weight, some respect, because he knows what it takes to win it all,ā Williams said, per Reed. āHe was the associate head coach on both championship teams, so he had a direct impact in the development and style of play. Heās been around a lot of greats and he will do wonders for guys like LaMelo (Ball) and Brandon (Miller), who are trying to be special.ā