The Hornets plan to hire Kenny Atkinson to be their new head coach, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter links).
The two sides have reached an agreement in principle, reports Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Atkinson will receive a four-year contract, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
As Charania relays, Atkinson met with owner Michael Jordan and other high-level Hornets officials for his third interview on Wednesday. Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic previously pegged Atkinson as the frontrunner for the job, with Boone later stating that he could be hired by the end of this week.
Atkinson, 55, is currently an assistant coach with the Warriors and spent last season as an assistant with the Clippers. He’s most well-known for being the head coach of the Nets from 2016-20, leading an impressive turnaround during his four years at the helm.
Although Atkinson’s record 118-190 record with the Nets seems pretty poor, the team went 20-62 in 2016/17, his first year, and made the playoffs just two years later with a 42-40 record. He played a key role in developing players like Joe Harris, Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, and D’Angelo Russell, all of whom improved tremendously during his tenure.
The Hornets believe they’re on the verge of being a playoff team and reportedly wanted a head coach who will help the club take the next step. Well-known for his player development and defense, Atkinson could be a good fit for key players like LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges.
More to come…