(Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
On Wednesday morning, the Charlotte Hornets announced that Steve Clifford was stepping down as head coach at the end of the season, transitioning to a front office role with the organization.
This news means that the hunt is now on for his replacement.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski, multiple assistant coaches are in the mix for the position.
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 are among the people in contention for Clifford’s job.
Sources: Among the league’s assistant coaching candidates expected to be considered in the Charlotte process: Sacramento’s Jordi Fernandez, Boston’s Charles Lee, Miami’s Chris Quinn, Phoenix’s Kevin Young, and others.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 3, 2024
According to Wojnarowski’s reporting, Charlotte co-owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin were open to the idea of bringing Clifford back next season but he decided that he didn’t want to take on another long NBA season.
He also didn’t want to hold the team back from capitalizing on the young talent it has.
There is indeed a lot to be excited about with the Hornets’ roster, including LaMelo Ball and rookie star Brandon Miller.
However, a bunch of injuries have plagued the team since Clifford returned to the head coaching role in 2022-23.
For example, Ball only participated in 22 games this season before yet another injury sidelined him.
If the Hornets can get and stay healthy, they could be one of the most exciting young teams in the league.
Schnall and Plotkin have been making some adjustments since taking ownership of the team and there are surely more on the horizon.
The news of Clifford stepping down provides the Hornets with an opportunity to inject more youthful energy into the team, this time within the coaching staff.
The Hornets don’t have to rush to select a replacement for Clifford but they are obviously already considering a few suitable choices.
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