Once he was done finishing Boston off in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, evening the seven-game series at 2-2 as it shifts back to the West Coast, Golden State’s Stephen Curry couldn’t hide the obvious excitement.
“That 5½ hour flight,” the Davidson grad and Charlotte native said in his nationally televised interview seconds after the Warriors win over the Celtics, “is going to feel a lot better.”
Indeed, and that was likely the case for every single member of the Warriors, including assistant coach Kenny Atkinson.
Atkinson was likely as giddy as anyone.
As first reported by The Charlotte Observer, Atkinson agreed to terms with the Charlotte Hornets on Friday to be the 12th head coach in franchise history, ending a nearly two-month process. He’s been selected as the person they believe has the best resume to move them forward and push a young team, led by LaMelo Ball, to new heights.
Initial NBA reaction
Preliminary reaction from multiple people around the NBA regarding the Hornets hiring Atkinson has been overwhelmingly positive, suggesting the Hornets got it right. Mike D’Antoni was also a finalist, and had an in-person meeting with owner Michael Jordan.
Atkinson, though, won over management and will fully come on board once the Finals have concluded. One league source essentially called it a perfect match.
“He’s a great coach,” the source said, “that’s going to be awesome in Charlotte.”
That sentiment is shared.
“Great hire,” said another league source. “(The Hornets) need to get better defensively. (Atkinson’s) a good developmental coach as well.”
Those strong attributes are a mandatory part of the job for the Hornets. With core players among the youngest in the league and a roster that’s currently only dotted with veteran contributors, the franchise needed someone who had that developmental strength to go along with a solid resume.
Seeking tangible growth
Keeping tangible growth headed in a positive direction for Ball and the rest of the twentysomethings on the roster is imperative. Perhaps equally as important: Something beyond a slight improvement defensively.
Following a rough start to their season on that side of the ball, they incrementally reversed course after the All-Star break, finishing 22nd in defensive rating. Those rough 144-point outings they surrendered in the final stretch of the season against Philadelphia and Miami while seeking wins to secure hosting a play-in tournament game were killers, and the Hornets aren’t destined for postseason success if they don’t clean up their schemes and overall effort.
Atkinson also has something else going for him, and it’s not just his prior head coaching experience with Brooklyn: He played professionally. Spending 14 years abroad and amassing all that time at point guard while serving as a primary ball-handler gives him a certain perspective, and could be a boost when it comes to dialogue with his new players.
Communication will be vital. Same goes for accountability. On both sides.
Upward trajectory or bust
This hire represents a rebirth of sorts for Atkinson. Some felt his demise with the Nets was premature, believing he was wrongly cast aside when Brooklyn let him go late in the 2019-20 season. Reports at the time suggested his voice didn’t inspire the same results as it initially did in Brooklyn.
That time simmering in the New York pressure cooker should benefit Atkinson in Charlotte. By cutting James Borrego loose with two years remaining on a contract extension that doesn’t even kick in until the next league year begins in July, the Hornets have signaled they’ve entered a win-now situation. No more baby steps or looking two to three years down the line for measurable success.
Making that change at the end of the bench more than suggests the direction the Hornets are expected to go in. It’s an upward trajectory or bust. Anything less is unacceptable. There’s no debate. None whatsoever.
This is new territory for the Hornets, and Atkinson is being thrust right into it. If he doesn’t succeed in getting the Hornets to the next level — which is not only making the actual 16-team field, but also winning at least a first-round series for the first time since 2000 — it could have serious ramifications.
Next on the agenda
So what’s next? Forming a coaching staff is chief among Atkinson’s duties now.
The immediate task involves deciphering whether to retain any of the assistants who’ve collaboratively run things while the Hornets conducted their search. One person who won’t be among them is Jay Triano. Considered the Hornets’ offensive coordinator, Triano is headed to Sacramento.
Though Triano was tied to a position on Mike Brown’s staff weeks ago, he didn’t agree to terms until recently, according to a league source. The future of others on the Hornets’ staff have to be sorted out as Atkinson forms his own bench.
A new era has arrived in Charlotte, and everyone is on notice.
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