Celtics Coaching Notes: Hammon, Lawson, Allen, Morrison

Spurs assistant Becky Hammon and Duke women’s coach Kara Lawson would make strong candidates for the Celtics’ coaching vacancy, wrote Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston.

The Celtics are searching for a new coach after Brad Stevens moved into Danny Ainge‘s role as president of basketball operations. Stevens will lead the search, and as Forsberg noted, has offered high praise for Hammon in the past.

“I think there’s several very qualified candidates and Becky, obviously, is a terrific candidate,” Stevens said before a late-April game against the Spurs. “I don’t know her well but I know what people think about her and I know how well she’s respected all across the league, by players and the coaches. So I would hope that that time is coming very soon.”

Hammon, 44, has been an assistant with Gregg Popovich and the Spurs since 2014. She has been a candidate for most vacancies over the past several offseasons, including those with the Pacers and Cavaliers.

Lawson, 40, was named head women’s coach at Duke in July 2020. The Blue Devils played just four games this past season because of coronavirus concerns and finished 3-1. Before that, she was an assistant with Stevens and the Celtics (2019-20) after being a WNBA head coach with the Sacramento Monarchs, Connecticut Sun and Washington Mystics (2003-15).

More from Boston

• The Celtics have already interviewed assistant Jerome Allen, who has been with the organization since 2015. Allen is also expected to interview for the Trail Blazers’ vacancy.
• In case you missed it, Celtics assistant Scott Morrison is also interviewing for the opening. Morrison has been in Boston since 2017.
• Fellow Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga has also been mentioned as a candidate, as have ex-Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce, Lakers assistant Jason Kidd and Nets assistant Ime Udoka.