Charlotte Hornets begin casting net to land new head coach. Here are some candidates
The Charlotte Hornets are compiling their list and apparently checking it twice.
Nearly two weeks after cutting ties with James Borrego, the Hornets’ coach search is underway and several names are emerging as potential candidates. Among them are Mike D’Antoni, Kenny Atkinson, Darvin Ham and Sean Sweeney, league sources confirmed to The Charlotte Observer.
The Hornets have also asked for — and received — permission to speak with Milwaukee assistant coach Charles Lee and Brooklyn assistant David Vanterpool for their head-coaching vacancy, sources confirmed. That brings the number of known interviewees so far to six.
D’Antoni served as a consultant for Brooklyn this season, assisting first-time coach Steve Nash. D’Antoni, who turns 71 on Sunday, is offensive-minded and has compiled a 672-527 record in 16 seasons, including a 381-214 mark at his last stop with the Houston Rockets.
Ham, an assistant with Milwaukee, served as the Bucks’ interim head coach in January when Mike Budenholzer was sidelined due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Ham reportedly will be interviewed by the Los Angeles Lakers for their vacancy. Besides the Hornets, the Lakers and Sacramento are the other two teams looking for new head coaches.
Atkinson, 53, currently is the lead assistant for Steve Kerr with Golden State. In four seasons as the head coach in Brooklyn, he compiled a 118-190 record.
Sweeney is a well-respected assistant on Jason Kidd’s staff in Dallas. He’s been with Kidd during his previous stints in Brooklyn and Milwaukee.
Vanterpool, 49, is an ex-NBA player who also suited up in Europe. He boasts 13 years of coaching experience and is a key member of Nash’s staff. He was a part of Terry Stotts’ staff in Portland for seven seasons, helping groom Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. He’s previously interviewed for head-coaching jobs in Denver, Cleveland and Orlando.
Lee, 37, has been alongside Budenholzer for the past eight years on his staff, first joining him in Atlanta before moving on to the Bucks. He starred at Bucknell University and earned Patriot League Player of the Year honors in 2006.
Another situation to keep an eye on in the coaching carousel is what could potentially happen in Philadelphia. If the 76ers struggle in their second round playoff series against Miami, there is a chance Philadelphia general manager general Daryl Morey makes a change and lets coach Doc Rivers go.
That could possibly lead to Sam Cassell, Philadelphia’s top assistant on Rivers’ staff, being elevated to head coach. D’Antoni also has strong ties with Morey from their years together in Houston and could land with the 76ers.
With Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak conducting the search, it’s become even more apparent he’s not going anywhere. The contract the 67-year-old signed in April of 2018 is expiring, according to league sources. If he was planning on leaving any time soon, it’s unlikely he’d be the one making the hire.
Tabbing someone new to guide them is the first task in what should be a busy offseason for Kupchak. The Hornets also have two first-round picks they could package to dramatically improve their roster, and they also have to make some key decisions about their own free agents, including Miles Bridges, Cody Martin, Montrezl Harrell and Isaiah Thomas.
This story was originally published May 4, 2022 at 8:46 AM with the headline "Charlotte Hornets begin casting net to land new head coach. Here are some candidates."
