Report: Hornets tab Atkinson as head coach after meeting with Jordan

The Charlotte Hornets are nearing an agreement with Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson to make him the franchise's next head coach, sources told The Athletic's Shams Charania.

Atkinson will pen a four-year deal with Charlotte, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The 55-year-old met with Hornets owner Michael Jordan and other front-office executives Wednesday, per Charania.

He's served as an assistant on Steve Kerr's Warriors staff this season after spending the 2020-21 campaign in a similar role with the Los Angeles Clippers. Atkinson also spent parts of four seasons as the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets starting in 2016.

Atkinson went a combined 118-190 in Brooklyn but was regarded for developing a young core of Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert, D'Angelo Russell, and Jarrett Allen into an Eastern Conference playoff team. Atkinson abruptly resigned from the post in March 2020 after going 28-34 to start the 2019-20 season, the team's first campaign after signing free agents Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.