Clifford to Step Down as Hornets HC After the Season

Charlotte Hornets Coach Steve Clifford’s second tour of duty with the Charlotte Hornets is coming to an end after the season and he is attempting to finalize a new role with the franchise’s front office, according to ESPN’s senior NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski.

Clifford, who took the reins prior to the 2022-23 campaign, after the ousting of James Borrego, informed his assistants and players alike, of the plan Wednesday morning and will remain at the helm for their final seven regular-season games.

The switch is just the latest in what has become a complete rebuild of the Hornets organization over the past year-plus. Those changes began when Michael Jordan sold the team to Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin. The new owners hired former Nets executive Jeff Peterson as their new head of basketball operations, and now Peterson will in turn be able to find the team’s next head coach.

Peterson, who worked alongside Clifford in Brooklyn, and ownership are eager to create an adviser position that would allow Clifford to stay in the fold in Charlotte and put his arms around all parts of the organization, sources said. Those details are expected to be finalized in the coming weeks, according to sources.

“Dating back to our time together in Brooklyn, I have a tremendous amount of appreciation for Coach Cliff, and I understand his decision to step down,” Peterson said in a statement. “His basketball knowledge, teaching ability and work ethic are well-respected throughout the NBA. He has had to endure some very difficult circumstances the past two years, and yet our players have continued to compete, work hard and develop. On behalf of the entire Hornets organization, I want to thank Steve for all his efforts, and we look forward to having him remain a part of the organization.

“While Steve will continue to coach the team for the remainder of the season, we will immediately begin the search process for our next head coach. We will look to hire someone that shares our values and vision in developing our young core and creating a culture and identity based on teamwork, accountability and competitiveness. We will conduct a thorough search process to select the best head coach for the Hornets moving forward.”

Clifford’s head coaching career launched back in 2013, when he took over in Charlotte for the first time. He lasted five seasons before getting the axe and taking over the Orlando Magic. After three years in Orlando, Clifford took a year off to clear his head and spin time with his family before accepting a second crack at the Hornets job. This time, however, his young team was ravaged by injuries and just could not stay healthy for him. Former All-Star LaMelo Ball took the court in just 58 games across Clifford’s two seasons in Charlotte, and the Hornets will find themselves in the lottery for the eighth consecutive year.

The Hornets were reportedly willing to let Clifford stay on and coach the team next season, but he ultimately was not prepared to commit to another season-long grind. By stepping down early, he is giving the Hornets a head start on their search for a new coach. In 10 seasons as an NBA head coach, Clifford has gone 337-457.

“This is the appropriate time for me to step down,” Clifford said in a statement released by the team. “I believe this is best for me and the organization. I’m excited about the future of the Hornets — our young core of players, Jeff’s leadership of our basketball operations and Rick and Gabe’s vision for the organization. I want to thank all the Hornets players and staff for their work the past two seasons and our Hornets fans for their continued support of our team.”

According to Wojnarowski, the search for Clifford’s replacement will be centered around several of the league’s most promising first-time coaching candidates. Those include Jordi Fernandez of the Sacramento Kings, Charles Lee of the Boston Celtics, Chris Quinn of the Miami Heat and Kevin Young of the Phoenix Suns.
With a young roster that is set to add another high draft pick in June, a first-time coaching candidate could be just what the doctor ordered and makes plenty of sense for the Hornets.