Lakers Interested in Celtics Lead Assistant for Head Coaching Opening

Bobby Krivitsky | May 4, 2024

Dec 14, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla and assistant coach Charles Lee. / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

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On Friday, the Los Angeles Lakers parted ways with head coach Darvin Ham, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The purple and gold went 47-35 in the regular season, beat the New Orleans Pelicans in the play-in tournament to earn the seventh seed in the Western Conference, then lost 4-1 to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.

Ham, who is out after just his second season in Los Angeles, is the Lakers' first coach not to return after making the playoffs since Phil Jackson in 2011, per ESPN researcher Matt Williams.

As they begin the process of interviewing candidates to fill their newly created head-coaching vacancy, Shams Charania and Jovan Buha of The Athletic report their list of targets includes JJ Redick, Mike Budenholzer, Kenny Atkinson, and Ty Lue. However, the Los Angeles Clippers will work to get an extension done with Lue, per Wojnarowski.

According to Buha, the Lakers also have an interest in Boston Celtics lead assistant Charles Lee.

Lee's also reportedly a top candidate for the Charlotte Hornets' opening for a head coach.

The former Bucknell star nearly became the Detroit Pistons' bench boss before they made one final successful push for Monty Williams last summer.

Further Reading

Kristaps Porzingis Discusses Target Date to Rejoin Celtics' Playoff Run: 'Doing Everything I Can'

Jayson Tatum Details How Celtics Combatting Opponents Trying to Out-Tough Them

Maturity a Source of Confidence for Celtics: 'We're Graduating'

Celtics Discuss Added Significance of Eliminating Heat: 'Wanted to Play Miami'

The Latest on Celtics' Center Kristaps Porzingis' Calf Injury Timetable

Derrick White Praises Teammates for Career Night: 'Credit Goes to Them'

'Burned Inside': Kristaps Porzingis Bounces Back from 'Worst Game as a Celtic'

Celtics Right the Wrongs of Game 2 to Take 2-1 Lead Over Heat