Why the Hornets Should Keep Their Championship Winning Coach
The Charlotte Hornets could soon be losing a key piece of their Summer League Championship team, and I am not talking about a player. It is being reported that new Knicks head coach Mike Brown is looking to bring Hornets assistant coach Chris Jent to New York. As Brown began to finalize his first season coaching the Blue and Orange, Jent emerged as a top candidate to join the coaching staff because of their history together. However, the Hornets have to do everything they can to keep Jent in Charlotte because his experience and knowledge of the game are crucial to Charles Lee’s development as a head coach in the NBA.
With the East being wide open this year due to various injuries to some of the top stars on the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers, the Knicks may be primed to make a run to the NBA Finals next season. So, this could be an enticing opportunity for Jent to be a part of a championship-winning team. By joining the Knicks, Jent would reunite with Mike Brown again. Brown had his most successful seasons as a head coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2006 to 2009, with Jent being on the staff. Brown is a coach who allows his assistants to share their input within games and make necessary calls and changes to offenses and defensive formations. This was something that held back Tom Thibodeau as the former Knicks coach did not make changes and was consistent with the players he put out on the court; he did not use his bench as much or at all. This will not happen under Brown, and this could be an opportunity for Jent to share his input and knowledge in New York.
Yet, the 55-year-old coach showed in Vegas how important he is to the Hornets organization. Jent not only coached the team to the championship, but he also showed his coaching moxy by deploying different lineups and switching up his defenses to slow down some of the summer league’s top offenses. By starting different lineups, Jent showed his versatility and trust in his team, and this allowed Hornets fans to see different players showcase their skills. From Kon Knueppel’s marksmanship to PJ Hall’s ability to crash the glass and do the “dirty” work on both ends of the court, Jent made sure that each lineup coincided with the lineups of the other team.
He is by far the most experienced coach on Lee’s staff and has been an assistant coach in the league since 2003. Having him in Charlotte would help Charles Lee continue to grow as a coach in Charlotte. Jent’s input could help Lee in situations where Charlotte’s offense is lagging. He could be someone who could manage the bevy of guards the Hornets have and can figure out who works better with whom in the offense. At this point, Jent has shown how valuable he is to Charlotte, and the Hornets should do everything they can to keep him.
