It looks like the Warriors are losing another top assistant to a head coaching job for a different team.
Kenny Atkinson has agreed to a four-year deal to become the Charlotte Hornets' new head coach, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday, citing sources.
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The Athletic's Shams Charania first reported Friday that Atkinson and the Hornets were "closing in" on a deal.
Atkinson joins Mike Brown, who agreed to a deal to coach the Kings, as Warriors assistants who will depart after the season concludes.
This was Atkinson's first season on the Warriors' bench, agreeing to a role on Steve Kerr's staff after serving the previous season as an assistant for the LA Clippers. Atkinson has been a key member of the Warriors' staff, helping lead the team back to the NBA Finals.
Atkinson has one previous stop as a head coach, serving that position for the Brooklyn Nets from 2016-2020, where he compiled a 118-190 record across almost four seasons. Atkinson stepped down after 62 games during the 2020 season.
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Atkinson was lauded for helping turn around the culture in Brooklyn, where he led the team to a 42-40 record and a playoff appearance in 2018-19, a 14-game turnaround from the previous season. But Atkinson reportedly struggled to mesh with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving after their arrival before the 2019-20 season, which was the writing on the wall for his departure.
Atkinson now takes over a young but talented Hornets squad led by LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges.