Bold Prediction: Jazz Will Hire Bucks Assistant Charles Lee as Head Coach
With the search for the next head coach of the Utah Jazz in full swing, it’s anyone’s guess at this point who kingpin Danny Ainge will choose to steer the ship. The list of candidates is long and diverse, and with Ainge’s previous choices being all over the map, predicting the correct outcome feels a little like pin the tail on the donkey.
Could Ainge opt for Johnnie Bryant, with roots planted here in Utah and a connection with Donovan Mitchell? Then there’s Terry Stotts and Frank Vogel, who have NBA head-coaching experience and a history of dealing with headline superstars. If you believe the Las Vegas oddsmakers, Bryant and Stotts are the clear favorites, with Vogel trailing at a distant third.
However...
I’m going to go out on a limb and predict that the next head coach of the Jazz will be Charles Lee. He’s a bit of a dark horse in this race at 8-1 odds. But when you dig into Lee's history and pair it with who is making the decision in Utah, it makes a lot of sense.
Lee started his coaching career as an Assistant at Bucknell University (2012-14), where he also played and was voted Patriot League Player of the Year in 2006. From there, he landed a job with the Atlanta Hawks as an assistant coach from 2014-18.
In 2019, Lee joined the Milwaukee Bucks coaching staff and was part of the team's 2021 run to a championship. This isn’t the first time Lee’s name has been thrown in the hat for a possible head-coaching job.
The Oklahoma Thunder considered Lee in 2020, as did the New Orleans Pelicans in 2021. The Los Angeles Lakers recently requested permission to interview Lee before choosing to go with Darvin Ham.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that Lee was being promoted to associate head coach in Milwaukee.
"Sources: Bucks are promoting assistant Charles Lee to Associate Head Coach under Mike Budenholzer. Lee has been a head coaching candidate for several teams over the past two seasons and remains a candidate for the Jazz’s current opening. Milwaukee prioritized a new deal for Lee," Charania tweeted.
Could this be a last-ditch effort by the Bucks to make it harder for Lee to leave? It sure looks that way on the surface.
Lee has a reputation for having a brilliant basketball mind paired with a personality that connects with today’s NBA players. It’s a recipe that works.
Lee has also witnessed firsthand what it takes to win an NBA championship and how to manage superstars (Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton).
At age 37, Lee's name comes up whenever a head-coaching position becomes available. Ainge is confident enough to think outside the box and put Lee's name on the line if he thinks it’s the right fit. Keep in mind, Brad Stevens was 37 when he was hired by Ainge back in 2013.
When Quin Snyder first stepped down, my knee-jerk reaction choice was Bryant. Although I value the connections Bryant's been able to make, if we’re truth-telling, he would be brought in to cater to Mitchell.
I don’t see Ainge being swayed by that. Stotts or Vogel feels like the safer picks. The Jazz are at a point where the status quo isn’t working, and Ainge was not brought in to shy away from risk.
The one thing that’s held Lee back from being hired is an executive that will hire a candidate with no head-coaching experience. Ainge, however, isn’t afraid of bold moves. It’s a perfect storm and why I believe Lee will be leading the Jazz into the 2022-23 season.
Follow Patrick on Twitter @pbyrnes_patrick.
