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Slam Dunk - $20.00 - Contest Completed | NBA Week 26

Ring secured in Boston, Charles Lee reports to work in Charlotte

Tue Jun 25 4:31pm ET
Field Level Media

Charles Lee clocked in as head coach of the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday after helping the Boston Celtics secure the NBA title last week.

Lee was introduced formally at a high-rise building in Charlotte while the team's home arena, Spectrum Center, undergoes renovations and as the Hornets get set to continue constructing the roster with the NBA draft on Wednesday night.

"I'm just extremely thankful that you guys believed in me," said Lee, who has been a finalist for head-coaching jobs the past two offseasons. "That we can be aligned. Lock our views. A lot of people always told me, the right one will happen at the right time.

"I have very high aspirations for what we can continue to build here."


The Hornets enter the 2024 draft with the No. 6 overall pick looking to build around a core of LaMelo Ball (No. 3, 2020) and Brandon Miller (No. 2, 2023), who were in attendance Tuesday for the intro session on the 22nd floor of the Lowe's Tech Hub building.

The Hornets were 21-61 last season and Steve Clifford, who twice served as head coach of the franchise, stepped into a front office role.

Lee, 39, was hired by president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson, 35, to lead the Hornets.

Lee has been an NBA assistant coach for 10 seasons.

The reunion brings the duo back together after working in the Atlanta Hawks' organization at the outset of their NBA careers.

Lee spent five years as an assistant coach for former Hawks (2014) and Milwaukee Bucks (2018-22) coach Mike Budenholzer and was hired to be an assistant coach on Joe Mazzulla's staff in 2023. He remained with the Celtics for the duration of the championship run with Peterson's permission.

The Hornets have lost two play-in games (2021, 2022) since the franchise last played in a postseason series (2016) and Charlotte hasn't won a playoff series since 2002.

Lee said he'll incorporate parts of the approach from his NBA title-winning experiences under Budenholzer and Mazzulla immediately.

"Both phenomenal coaches," Lee said. "The biggest thing I want to take from both of them is they created a culture of work."

Player Notes
Kristaps Porzingis Tue Jun 25 4:20pm

Boston Celtics forward/centerKristaps Porzingis(leg) will not play in the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris, France, as he will have surgery "in the coming days,"the team announced on Tuesday. Porzingis suffered a torn retinaculum and a dislocated posterior tibialis tendon during Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Although he missed Games 3 and 4, he made a comeback in Game 5, helping the Celtics secure the NBA title with a victory over the Dallas Mavericks. He had hoped to compete in Paris for his country, Latvia, but the Celtics stated that the injury "doesn't allow for consistent play at the level required for Olympic competition." A specific timeline for recovery is unknown and won't be known until after the surgery.

De'Aaron Fox Tue Jun 25 1:10pm

Sacramento Kings point guard De'Aaron Fox isn't expected to ink an extension with the team this year. According to The Athletic, the 2023 All-Star wants to see how the roster takes shape for the long haul before committing himself to the Kings. There is also the added incentive of earning a bigger deal if Fox makes an All-NBA team. His current $163 million contract has two more years left to run. Fox has taken big strides as a player in recent seasons, with the Kings' playing style suiting him like a glove. The 26-year-old averaged career-highs in points (26.6), rebounds (4.6), and steals (2.0) in 2023-24, leading the league in the latter category.

Mikal Bridges Tue Jun 25 10:40am

Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges has been linked with three teams as the 2024 NBA Draft draws nearer. According to Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer, Bridges is a "player to monitor" among the Utah Jazz's "most aggressive aspirations." Fischer has also listed the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks as potential suitors for Bridges. Previous reports have suggested that the Nets aren't interested in any deals involving the former All-Defensive First Team member. However, they might end up getting an offer which is too good to refuse. League sources have told Fischer that Brooklyn has actively tried to trade into this week's draft. Houston holds the No. 3 pick, Utah has the No. 10 selection, and New York boasts two late first-round picks.

Jalen Johnson Tue Jun 25 10:30am

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson has not been included in trade talks so far this offseason. According to Evan Sidery, it seems that Johnson is the only untouchable player on the roster when it comes to making trade deals. That means both stars in the backcourt, Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, are being shopped around, but Johnson's growth and youth are being viewed as more valuable. The 22-year-old broke out in a big way this year as he averaged 16.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.3 threes per game while he started in 52 of his 56 appearances. He likely would have been a frontrunner for Most Improved Player of the Year if he played the minimum amount of games to qualify.

Clint Capela Tue Jun 25 10:30am

Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela has been named as a potential trade piece for the last few seasons and this offseason is no different. According to Kevin O'Connor from the Ringer, the Hawks are shopping Capela along with almost every other player on the roster aside from Jalen Johnson. After getting the number-one overall pick in this year's draft, the Hawks have a lot of options that allow them to get some assets back for Capela. One team that may come calling is the Los Angeles Lakers who seem to be looking for a center so that Anthony Davis can play power forward. The 30-year-old big man has been a constant force on the boards over the last seven seasons as he's averaged double-digit rebounds in each season during that span. In his four years with the Hawks, Capela averaged 12.3 points, 11.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game.

OG Anunoby Tue Jun 25 10:30am

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby declined his $19.9 million player option on Monday, putting him in line to hit unrestricted free agency on June 30. Anunoby began the 2023-24 campaign by appearing in 27 games for the Toronto Raptors. But he was dealt to New York ahead of the trade deadline, where he averaged 14.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.7 steals. Unfortunately, the 26-year-old was limited to only 23 appearances with the Knicks during the regular season because of an elbow issue. Anunoby also missed time in the postseason because of a hamstring injury. Without question, the 2017 No. 23 overall pick was a difference maker for the Knicks, so the team will do everything possible to keep him. However, he's expected to double his annual salary on the open market.

Kevon Looney Tue Jun 25 10:30am

The Golden State Warriors guaranteed the 2024-25 salary of forward/center Kevon Looney. There was chatter he could be cut. However, replacing him with someone else wouldn't have made much sense from a financial standpoint. The 28-year-old has been in Golden State since entering the league in 2015. But his production dropped significantly last season after averaging 7.0 points and 9.3 rebounds during the 2022-23 campaign. With that in mind, Looney could see some starts here and there in 2024-25. Yet, he figures to be buried on the depth chart behind Trayce Jackson-Davis, Draymond Green, and Jonathan Kuminga, meaning it will be difficult for him to do anything meaningful for fantasy managers.

Jonas Valanciunas Tue Jun 25 10:30am

New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas is expected to move on from Louisiana as a free agent this summer and has been linked with the Los Angeles Lakers. According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Valanciunas has been "often mentioned by NBA figures as a potential Lakers frontcourt addition." It was recently suggested that the Lakers are looking to pick up a center this offseason to give Anthony Davis more minutes as a power forward. Valanciunas, who celebrated his 32nd birthday last month, is coming off a disappointing season. After averaging a double-double in five consecutive campaigns, the Lithuanian big man was limited to 12.2 points and 8.8 rebounds in 23.5 minutes.

Jerami Grant Tue Jun 25 10:30am

Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant has been linked with an exit from the team only one year into a five-year, $160 million contract extension. Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports has noted that Grant is drawing interest from the Los Angeles Lakers. Grant was troubled by health issues for most of the 2023-24 campaign, featuring only 54 times for Portland. He shot a career-high 40.2 percent from deep to average 21.0 points. Grant also tied his career high with 2.8 assists while grabbing 3.5 rebounds. The 30-year-old would add size and scoring ability to the Lakers, but his large contract makes it difficult to acquire him.

Marcus Smart Tue Jun 25 10:30am

Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart could find himself on a new team this week. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Houston Rockets are interested in acquiring Smart in a deal involving swapping the No. 3 and No. 9 picks, which would help the Grizzlies draft Donovan Clingan. Smart, a Texas native, saw his 2023-24 campaign in Memphis ruined by injury, suiting up for only 20 games. The former NBA Defensive Player of the Year would add a lot of quality to a Houston team that looks to get back into winning mode following a rebuilding process.

Keita Bates-Diop Mon Jun 24 4:00pm

Brooklyn Nets forward Keita Bates-Diop will exercise his player option for the 2024-25 NBA season. His option is worth $2.65 million which was negotiated into his contract when he signed with the Phoenix Suns last offseason. Ahead of the last trade deadline, Bates-Diop was moved from Phoenix to the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team deal which moved Royce O'Neale to the Suns. With Brooklyn, Bates-Diop only averaged 1.6 points and 0.6 rebounds across 4.9 minutes per game. The 28-year-old journeyman only appeared in 14 games for the Nets, but he may be utilized a bit more with the new coaching staff that has moved into town.

Kris Dunn Mon Jun 24 4:00pm

The Phoenix Suns are believed to be a landing spot for free agent guard Kris Dunn. According to Evan Sidery of ESPN, the 30-year-old combo guard could head to Phoenix on the veteran minimum after spending two seasons in Utah where he started in 35 of his 88 appearances. Dunn has bounced around to five different teams through eight seasons in the NBA and has experienced very mixed results at every stop. During his time in Utah, Dunn averaged 7.4 points, 4.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 49.7% from the floor and 39.5% from deep. His defense continues to be the number-one reason why teams are interested in his services and that would be the perfect compliment to the big three in Phoenix.

Scottie Barnes Mon Jun 24 3:30pm

Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes just finished his third season in the NBA which was his best one to date and resulted in his first All-Star Game appearance. Now that he's going to enter his fourth season, he was up for a contract extension to follow his rookie deal. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Barnes intends to sign a max rookie extension that could be worth up to $270 million over five years. This would make the new cornerstone player the highest-paid Raptor of all time. Barnes averaged 19.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game last year while posting shooting splits of .475/.341/.781. The team already made some moves this past season before the trade deadline, which made it clear they're building around Barnes moving forward.

Mitchell Robinson Mon Jun 24 9:50am

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson looks set to suit up for a different team next season, and the Washington Wizards are reportedly one of the clubs interested in his services. According to NBA insider Ian Begley, Robinson has "come up" in trade talks between Washington and New York. Last season, Isaiah Hartenstein outplayed Robinson, who battled an ankle injury, leaving the big man from Florida with an uncertain future. However, a move away from New York would definitely boost his fantasy value if Hartenstein remains in the Big Apple. Robinson appears to be a good fit for the Wizards, whose lack of depth under the rim resulted in Kyle Kuzma logging center minutes over the final stretch of the season.

Donovan Mitchell Mon Jun 24 9:50am

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell doesn't appear to be going anywhere this offseason. A fresh report from NBA insider Shams Charania notes that the Cavaliers are "confident" about reaching a contract extension soon with Mitchell. Charania adds that the team is also in the "final stages" of deciding its new head coach. Mitchell has enjoyed two very productive campaigns as a Cavalier, averaging 27.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.6 steals. It has been suggested that his backcourt partner Darius Garland isn't interested in returning for next season if Mitchell sticks around, and it's going to be interesting to see how the situation pans out. Garland's exit would allow Mitchell to play an even more dominant role in Cleveland's play.

Chris Paul Mon Jun 24 9:40am

Golden State Warriors point guard Chris Paul has been linked with a move back to Los Angeles. NBA insider Marc Stein believes that Paul would draw interest from both the Clippers and Lakers if he hits free agency. However, he adds that interest in bringing him to the Lakers "might not be unanimous within the organization." The suggestion of Paul reuniting with the Clippers definitely raises a few eyebrows as well, especially if James Harden and Russell Westbrook stick around. Paul has a non-guaranteed $30 million contract for next season, and he would become a free agent if Golden State doesn't guarantee the contract by June 28. The 12-time All-Star remains a big name in the NBA, but his numbers have been declining for several years. Paul provided only 9.2 points, 6.8 assists, and 1.2 steals to fantasy managers off the Warriors bench in 2023-24. A starting role away from San Francisco could give his numbers a boost.

DeMar DeRozan Mon Jun 24 9:20am

Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan has been expected to re-sign with the team this offseason, but there might be a twist in the tale. "One of the loudest questions bouncing around the league at the minute is thus: Will DeRozan be more available in free agency than expected now once the marketplace officially opens on June 30 at 6 PM ET?" writes NBA insider Marc Stein in a recent Substack post. "Likewise: Will DeRozan even want to return to the Bulls?" The Bulls have just made a big move by trading Alex Caruso to Oklahoma City for Josh Giddey, and it could affect DeRozan's mindstate regarding a potential extension. The 34-year-old has crushed it in Chicago over three seasons, averaging 25.5 points,4.7 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. DeRozan's fantasy stock might take a hit with a move elsewhere.

Kyle Lowry Mon Jun 24 9:10am

Philadelphia 76ers point guard Kyle Lowry is expected to return to the team for the 2024-25 campaign. Lowry is a free agent after completing a short-term deal with his hometown team. The Knicks and Clippers have reportedly kept tabs on him, but according to NBA insider Marc Stein, the 38-year-old is "widely" expected to re-sign with the 76ers. Lowry averaged 8.0 points and 4.6 assists in 28.4 minutes after moving to Philadelphia in February. The former All-Star is clearly past his best and only a deep-league asset in fantasy basketball at this point.

Paul George Mon Jun 24 9:00am

Los Angeles Clippers guard/forward Paul George could remain in the Pacific Division as a member of the Golden State Warriors. According to NBA insider Brett Siegel, a "very close eye" should be kept on the Warriors regarding George if Klay Thompson leaves the team. George has previously linked with moving to the East, with the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic seen as the most realistic landing spots for the nine-time All-Star. Considering Thompson's massively disappointing campaign in 2023-24, George would be a major upgrade for the Warriors, adding value to the team at both ends of the floor.

Luka Doncic Sun Jun 23 9:50pm

According to NBA reporter Grant Afseth, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (knee, ankle, chest) is uncertain to participate in the pre-Olympic qualifying tournament. The multi-time All-Star finished the 2023-24 campaign by averaging a career-high 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, 9.2 rebounds, and 1.4 steals. He played nearly as well in the postseason. However, Doncic battled various injuries while leading the Mavs to the NBA finals, including a thoracic contusion that required pain-killing injections. The Slovenian National Team's medical staff will determine if he's healthy enough to play. But there hasn't been anything to suggest Doncic won't be ready when the 2024-25 season commences in October, so managers should continue to expect him to go within the first few picks of fantasy drafts.