Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson has consented to a four-year deal to become the new head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, sources told on Friday.
Atkinson will supplant James Borrego, who was fired in April subsequent to going 138-163 in his four seasons with the team.
The Hornets had limited their search to Atkinson and Mike D’Antoni. The two competitors previously had two meetings with management, incorporating with general manager Mitch Kupchak, and afterward met with proprietor Michael Jordan this week.
Atkinson is the second Golden State assistant coach set to leave the Warriors and assume control over a new team. Mike Brown, partner head coach, was recruited to coach the Sacramento Kings next season. Both are staying with Golden State through the finish of the NBA Finals.
Atkinson was 118-190 out of three or more years with the Brooklyn Nets, acquiring a full rebuild and showing improvement each season until he resigned after an injury-plagued 2019-20 season. He spent the 2020-21 season with the LA Clippers as a partner prior to joining Steve Kerr’s staff in Golden State in front of this run to the NBA Finals.
Generally, he has spent nine seasons as a NBA assistant, incorporating four with the New York Knicks, three with the Atlanta Hawks and one each with the Clippers and Warriors.
The Hornets have missed the playoffs in six consecutive seasons, the longest drought in franchise history and second-longest active streak behind the Kings (16). In any case, Charlotte has a few building blocks in a group that went 43-39 during the regular season to arrive at the play-in game, including All-Star LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, who is set to be a restricted free agent.
This previous season, Charlotte battled defensively, permitting 114.9 points per game, which was tied for 25th in the league. Atkinson worked on the Nets’ defensive efficiency in each season of his four-year residency, taking them from 23rd in 2017 to 10th in 2020.