The Charlotte Hornets have hired Charles Lee as their new head coach. Lee is currently an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics.

Lee reportedly signed a four-year deal to coach the Hornets. Lee will finish the Celtics playoff run before joining the Hornets.

Lee began his NBA coaching career in 2014 with the Atlanta Hawks as part of Mike Budenholzer's staff. Lee then moved to the Milwaukee Bucks with Budenholzer in 2018. This season, Lee joined Joe Mazzulla's staff in Boston.

The 39-year-old has been a well-regarded assistant for several years. He started his coaching career at Bucknell University, where he played college basketball, in 2012 before moving to the NBA. Lee is replacing Steve Clifford, who is moving into a front office advisory role with the Hornets.

Rick Carlisle was upset during the fourth quarter of the Indiana Pacers Game 2 loss at the New York Knicks. So much so, that Carlisle got ejected from the game.

Following the game, Carlisle said small market teams deserve an equal shot in. Beyond those comments, the Pacers are doubling down on their efforts to prove that the officiating favored the Knicks in the first two games of the series.

Indiana has sent the NBA league office tape of 78 plays that they feel were calls or non-calls in favor of New York. The Pacers had considered sending the NBA a tape after Game 1, but chose not to. After Game 2, Carlisle said Indiana reversed that decision. The plays in question include 49 instances from Game 2 and 29 plays from Game 1.

"I can promise you that we're going to submit these tonight," Carlisle said after being ejected in the final minute when he was given two technical fouls. "New York can get ready. They'll see 'em too. I'm always talking to our guys about not making it about the officials, but we deserve a fair shot."

Brandon Ingram and Willie Green had a "minor exchange" during Game 2 of the New Orleans Pelicans' playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, according to Zach Harper and Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Ingram reportedly wanted the ball more during the game.

Ingram is heading into the final year of his contract next season.

The Pelicans' forward has been linked as a possible trade candidate for the Sixers.

Opposing NBA teams are monitoring head coach Chauncey Billups' situation with the Portland Trail Blazers, according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated.

Billups is entering the final year of his guaranteed four-year deal.

The team announced that they would not renew assistants Scott Brooks and Rodney Billups' contracts. 

The NBA's new media rights deals could surpass $7 billion per season, which would represent an increase of nearly 170 percent from its current $2.6 billion per deals with ESPN and TNT. According to reported figures, the combined rights fees from ESPN, Amazon and NBC (or TNT) are at $6.9 billion per season.

Amazon will pay approximately $1.8 billion per season, according to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic. The deal will include the Conference Finals every other year as they will alternate with whoever wins the third rights between NBC and TNT. It also will include the NBA Cup and In-Season Tournament. 

TNT can match NBC's offer of $2.5 billion per season and talks are ongoing.

ESPN's deal with the NBA, which includes the Finals and Conference Finals on an annual basis, will cost $2.6 billion per year.

A report in 2021 indicated that the NBA was seeking anywhere between $7 billion and $8 billion per year on its next deal. After a 2023 report cooled those expectations with a doubling of the current deal a more probable target, the NBA appears to be close to reaching its goal.

The future of Jimmy Butler with the Miami Heat has come into question after he missed their first round series against the Boston Celtics and is eligible in July for a contract extension worth up to $112.9 million over two seasons. Pat Riley was publicly non-committal on the possibility of an extension for Butler when he addressed the media this week.

"He has clearly wanted to be in Miami," said Shams Charania. "He has seen that as a perfect marriage of sorts."

The Heat tried to trade for Damian Lillard last offseason to improve their roster around Butler and Bam Adebayo. There are questions of whether the Heat roster is good enough to continue competing at a championship level as Butler ages. 

"It is interesting the back and forth that we're seeing, but I think Jimmy Butler has always made it clear he wants to be in Miami long-term, it's going to be about will they be able to pay him what he wants," said Charania.

Trae Young has left Klutch Sports and has signed with Aaron Mintz of CAA as his representation. 

Young joined Klutch in 2020 after his agent, Omar Wilkes, left Octagon for Rich Paul's agency. Wilkes left Klutch to join Fanatics in March 2023.

Young has a player option for the 26-27 season and has been the subject of trade rumors this offseason.

Christian Wood has exercised his $3 million player option for the 2024-25 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. Wood signed a two-year deal with the Lakers last summer, that included a player option for next season.

Wood appeared in 50 games in his first season in Los Angeles. He averaged 6.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 17.4 minutes per game off the Lakers bench.

The Phoenix Suns' disappointing first round performance against the Minnesota Timberwolves has led to some speculation that they may have to break up their superstar duo of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in order to field a more balanced roster.

"Do people in the league say that?" said Brian Windhorst on The Rich Eisen Show. "Yes, they do. I talk to multiple people who think that's what they're going to have to do that. Do the Suns say that? No, they do not.

"I think the Suns' intention is to keep all three of these star players. Tweak the roster, tweak some of their systems and processes and try to be better next year."

Windhorst also stressed how Durant spoke about how the Suns could benefit from continuity. 

The Suns have also yet to publicly decide the future of Frank Vogel as head coach.

LA Clippers front office executive Lawrence Frank covered a lot during his end-of-season media session. One of the topics was center Ivica Zubac, who had a career year. Frank said that the Clippers will have extension conversations with Zubac this summer.

The 7-foot center averaged a career-high 11.7 points per game last season. Zubac also grabbed 9.2 rebounds and blocked 1.2 shots per game.

Zubac has one year remaining on the three-year, $32.8 million extension he signed with LA in 2022. Zubac will make $11.7 million in 2024-25.