Charlotte Hornets' Head Coach Charles Lee Earns High Marks at Mid-Season

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In his second season as head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, Charles Lee has guided the team to surprise playoff contention in the Eastern Conference. An in-depth look at Lee's performance across key areas like player development, X's and O's, and rotations shows he has earned high marks, with the Hornets boasting a top-10 offense and defense since mid-December.

Why it matters

The Hornets have not made the playoffs in a decade, so Lee's ability to quickly turn the team into a contender is a significant accomplishment. His work developing young talent like Moussa Diabate and implementing a modern, analytics-driven approach on both ends of the floor has the Hornets poised to end their postseason drought.

The details

Lee and his staff have done an excellent job with player development, highlighted by Diabate's rapid growth from a two-way contract player to a starting center on one of the NBA's best five-man units. Other young Hornets like Tidjane Salaun, Ryan Kalkbrenner, and Sion James have also benefited from the team's revamped development program. On the court, Charlotte boasts a top-11 offense and a top-10 defense since mid-December, with Lee's motion-heavy, pass-first system maximizing the talents of stars like LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Kon Knueppel. While Lee's late-game rotations have been occasionally questioned, he has improved in this area as the season has progressed and the team has gotten healthier.

• Since December 18th, the Hornets have an 18-11 record, the 6th best in the NBA.
• Since December 18th, the Hornets have the 2nd best offense and a top-10 defense in the NBA.

What’s next

The Hornets will look to continue their strong play after the All-Star break and solidify their position in the Eastern Conference playoff race.