Jrue Holiday laughs about beating leaving Celtics assistant who recently earned the Hornets position.
Charles Lee, the Boston Celtics’ assistant coach, has agreed to become the next head coach of the Charlotte Hornets. Lee has spent the last ten seasons as an assistant with the Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, and, most recently, the Celtics. In recent years, he has been interviewed for head coaching positions with the Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, and Toronto Raptors.
During his post-practice news conference, Celtics forward Jrue Holiday, who previously worked with Lee in Milwaukee, shared his thoughts on Lee’s new employment opportunity.
“I was really happy,” Holiday remarked. “I’m sad to see him go, but also quite delighted. He deserves it, and I’ve been with him for a minute now. It’ll be amazing to see him as a head coach and to beat him every time we play him…obviously, we’ve been through a lot together, so to see him not get the job when he had a chance. But I see it now, and I believe the moment is appropriate. You are just thrilled for your buddy.”
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski verified that Lee will stay with the Celtics until the completion of the postseason.
With Lee still on the sidelines, he and Holiday will have the opportunity to win a second title together. Both were members of the Milwaukee club that won the Larry O’Brien Trophy in 2021. With the Celtics in the Eastern Conference playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers, both have a chance to complete their tenure together with a second championship ring.
Lee will begin his career with Charlotte in a promising position. There will be little pressure to compete in his first few years at the wheel. He will also inherit a young club that already has two franchise cornerstones, LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.
When the Celtics and Hornets play off next season, Holiday’s words could serve as a subplot. Fans of both clubs are excited to see if Charlotte can steal a win over Boston and prove Holiday incorrect. Regardless, the veteran guard will definitely be pleased for his friend.
Leave a Reply