Jeff Van Gundy and the Celtics’ brass mutually agreed it would be better for him to become the lead assistant with the Clippers rather than taking a similar job with Boston, according to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe.
Van Gundy was a candidate to replace former associate head coach Charles Lee, who is leaving to coach the Hornets. But the Celtics were somewhat uneasy about the prospect of Van Gundy, a senior consultant for the organization, leapfrogging members of the coaching staff and getting the job. The Celtics are expected to hire Lee’s replacement from an in-house candidate, Himmelsbach adds.