18:27: The Hornets have officially appointed Clifford as their head coach, according to a press release from the team.
“We are happy to welcome Steve back to our franchise,” Kupchak said. “We believe that his previous experience and coaching philosophy make him the best coach for our team. Steve has proven experience in improving defenses and is detail-oriented. It has a history of maximizing players’ talent and working with them to develop and expand their skills. Steve is committed to playing at the same offensive pace that our fans have been accustomed to seeing for the past few years. We are confident that he will be able to help our young players continue to grow as we strive to take the next step as a team. ”
4:33 p.m.: The Hornets are hiring Steve Clifford as head coach for a second time, according to ESPN sources Adrian Voynarovsky (Twitter link).
Mark Stein announced yesterday morning that Clifford unexpectedly appeared as a serious candidate to replace James Borego, who was fired after the team lost in the playoff tournament for the second consecutive season. Roderick Boone and Scott Fowler of The Charlotte Observer announced this morning that Clifford had met with GM Mitch Kupchak and owner Michael Jordan earlier this week.
Clifford will receive a “multi-year” contract, Boone tweeted.
The Hornets have reportedly been looking for a veteran head coach who could help improve the team’s defense, and Clifford has a long-standing reputation as one of the league’s best defensive tactics. In his eight seasons as head coach, Clifford’s clubs have been five times in the top 10 in terms of defense.
The 60-year-old Clifford previously coached the Hornets from 2013-18, setting an overall record of 196-214. He led the club to the post-season in 2014 and 2016 – these are the only appearances in the playoffs of Charlotte since 2010.
After his time at the Hornets, Clifford was hired by Orlando to be their head coach, setting a 96-131 record from 2018-2021, including several post-season trips during his first two seasons. His overall record with Magic is a bit deceptive, as Orlando focused on a full recovery in his final season when the team came out 21-51.
Clifford was a longtime assistant before becoming head coach, with stops in New York, Houston, Orlando and Los Angeles from 2000-2013. He was a Nets consultant last season.
Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson, a former Nets head coach, had previously agreed to become the Hornets’ new coach, but dropped the deal and never signed the contract, restarting the club’s coaching search.
Mike D’Antoni, whom he met with Jordan this week, was reportedly a finalist during the two searches. There were conflicting reports as to whether Terry Stots was also a finalist before the team reached an agreement with Atkinson – Stein wrote that D’Antoni was “the only other known finalist” at the time.
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