- 👀The Charlotte Hornets' latest search for a new head coach is over.
- 🏀Celtics assistant Charles Lee is the new man in town, beating out JJ Redick for the job.
For the seventh time since 2012-13, the Charlotte Hornets were officially in need of a new head coach, with Steve Clifford leaving to take an executive role with the franchise after going 48-116 in his second stint with the franchise.
The Hornets have now gone eight years in a row without a playoff berth and last won a postseason series in 2002, speaking to the long-running struggle in the Queen City when it comes to fielding a winner on the hardwood. Luckily for Charlotte fans, a fresh crop of talented assistant coaches and basketball lifers were on the market this offseason, which allowed GM Jeff Peterson and President James R. Jordan to land a quality coach in 2024.
Celtics assistant Charles Lee will take over in the Queen City following the Celtics' playoff run, as he will lead LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and the rest of the Hornets into the 2024-2025 NBA season.
BetCarolina.com, your top source for North Carolina sports betting, had compiled hypothetical odds on the next Hornets head coach since Clifford stepped down. Lee, the 39-year-old longtime coach, was sitting at +165 after serving on the bench with the Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks and Celtics between 2014 and 2024.
Below were our latest odds before the Lee hire was announced.
Thomas Leary contributed to this report.
Charlotte Hornets Next Head Coach Odds
These were hypothetical odds from our experts at BetCarolina.com. These odds were not available on North Carolina sports betting apps.
Other Contenders For Hornets Coach
Lee beat out Denver Nuggets assistant coach David Adelman and ESPN personality JJ Redick (+500 apiece) on our Hornets odds board, as the son of longtime NBA head coach Rick Adelman was a bit of a hot commodity after helping guide Denver to the club’s first NBA title in 2023.
Redick, who played in the league from 2006 to 2021, has also be bandied about as a coaching candidate after his rapid rise at ESPN, with deft on-air talent and an ability to properly break down in-game tape.
Our other longshots for the Charlotte job included Jay Larrañaga, who is the son of Miami Hurricanes MBB head coach Jim Larrañaga and a current assistant with the Los Angeles Clippers, as well as Houston Rockets assistant coach Royal Ivey. Both of them were listed at +1250.
Finally, Stockton Kings G-League head coach (and 2023-24 G League Coach of the Year winner) Lindsey Harding rounded out our list when it came to potential Hornets head coaching candidates, with the former WNBA star coming in at +1500, while “the field” had odds of +1250 in the Charlotte Hornets NBA head coaching carousel.
Stay with BetCarolina.com as we keep you updated on the latest Hornets news. Be sure to check out our best North Carolina sportsbook promos as well.
USA Today photo by Ron Chenoy.
