A week after reports surfaced that Golden State Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson was nearing a deal to become the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, Atkinson decided to turn down the Hornets’ offer, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Atkinson, 55, was reportedly offered the Hornets’ head coaching job while the Warriors were playing in the 2022 NBA Finals. After “further conversations,” Atkinson decided staying with the Warriors was the better move. On Thursday night, Golden State beat the Boston Celtics in six games to win their fourth NBA title in eight years.
Charlotte fired head coach James Borrego in April after four seasons. The team finished the 2021-22 season 10th place in the Eastern Conference with a 43-39 record. That was enough for a spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament, but the Hornets lost 132-103 to the Atlanta Hawks and were eliminated from postseason contention.
Charlotte also finished 10th in the 2020-21 season and lost 144-117 to the Indiana Pacers in the Play-In Tournament.
Atkinson previously spent three seasons as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets before he and the team mutually agreed the part ways after the 2019-20 season. He was an assistant for the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2020-21 season before joining the Warriors in Aug. 2021.
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