Steve Clifford, the current head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, has announced that he will be stepping down from his coaching position at the end of the season. Sources have revealed that Clifford is in the process of finalizing a front office role with the franchise.
Clifford, who shared the news with his assistants and players on Wednesday morning, will continue to coach the Hornets for their final seven games, starting with the matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Although there was a possibility for Clifford to return as the coach for the next season, the 62-year-old coach decided that he was not ready to commit to the year-round responsibilities of head coaching for the 2024-2025 season. This decision allows the Hornets to begin their search for a new head coach without any delays.
Several assistant coaching candidates from various NBA teams, including Charles Lee from Boston, Jordi Fernandez from Sacramento, Chris Quinn from Miami, and Kevin Young from Phoenix, are expected to be considered in the coaching search process for the Hornets.
Despite the challenges faced by the Hornets due to injuries and absences during Clifford's tenure, the team's new executive vice president of basketball operations, Jeff Peterson, and co-owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin are keen on retaining Clifford in an advisory role within the organization. This position would allow Clifford to contribute to various aspects of the franchise.
Clifford, who has served as a head coach for a total of 10 seasons with Charlotte and Orlando, holds a record of 337-457 with four playoff appearances in the Eastern Conference.
The details of Clifford's new role within the Hornets organization are expected to be finalized in the upcoming weeks as the team prepares for a coaching transition.
