Report: Lakers considering assistant C for head coaching job originally appeared in NBC Sports Boston
The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly have top assistant Joe Mazzulla on their list of head coaching candidates.
Celtics assistant coach Charles Lee is among LA options to replace Darvin Ham, according to Jovan Buha and Shams Charania of The Athletic. Ham was fired on Friday after two seasons as coach of the Lakers.
Mazzulla and the C’s hired Lee to their coaching staff in June 2023. Lee accepted the job with Boston after interviewing for head coaching positions with the New Orleans Pelicans, Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards last year.
Lee, 39, previously served on Mike Budenholzer’s coaching staff in Milwaukee from 2018 to 2023. He helped the Bucks win an NBA championship in 2021.
Budenholzer is also on the Lakers’ list of candidates along with Kenny Atkinson, JJ Redick and Ty Lue according to Buha. Lee and Redick were also rumored to be finalists for the vacant head coaching position of the Charlotte Hornets.
For now, Lee will be focused on helping the Celtics in their quest for the Banner 18. Boston is in the Eastern Conference semifinals, where they will face the winner of the Orlando Magic-Cleveland Cavaliers series.