In a surprising turn of events, the Charlotte Hornets are gearing up for a major shakeup in their coaching staff for the upcoming season, as Steve Clifford resigns as Head Coach.
Steve Clifford resigns as Head Coach and takes on Front Office Venture
The spilling of the beans from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski happens this Wednesday mid-morn, and he’ll let the world know that Steve Clifford, the current head coach for the team, has opted to step down at the end of this current season. This, too, could serve as an indicator as to where Clifford is headed, such as toward becoming a top executive for the team inside the front office.
Last season’s dismal record of 18-57 for the Pittsburgh Hornets put a hard stop against the trail blazers earning any playoff hope for the eighth season. The Cliftord’s choice is coming with a background of more disappointments the franchise.
What people knew as a possible comeback for Clifford the following season came to be a result of Jeff Peterson’s arrival as Charlotte’s executive vice president of the basket operation and the ownership of the team by Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin, but it was ultimately up to Clifford to decide whether he was good to step back. According to sources it has become apparent that Clifford has voiced his hesitation on completing the unyielding pressure from the upcoming 2024-2025 head coaching season.
The decision of the 62-year-old veteran coach to let the Hornets recruit younger and different coach seems to be fueled by the geniality behind these actions. According to the Eliminating Generalism report by Wojnarowski, the Hornets have an edge in the search for top candidates because they will be the first to contact these coaches since they will be firing their coach this year. As others like Wizards’ and Nets’ teams get stuck in the like confusing situations of coaching selection, the Hornets’ organization is wisely taking the advantage of the coaching market and get into the top of the class.
Rumors about possibilities for the next head coach’s successor abound and candidate names from across and beyond the NBA hierarchy are mentioned as candidates for the desired role in Charlotte. For players like Sacramento’s Jordi Fernandez, Boston’s Charles Lee, Miami’s Chris Quinn and Phoenix’s Kevin Young, the general championship has proven to be the moment where they look to shine, and it has also driven so much excitement among basketball fans.
Clifford had his last date of office beginning the 2022-23 season, which was coincidentally the first time he was making a come-back after having served the city from 2013 to 2018. Nevertheless, the attempt of his leadership to guide the team on the way of their success is characterized by difficulties, such as the performance decreasing part of due to injuries to some players. For example, the absence of point guard LaMelo Ball—who is out for the season and sidelined after a short stint in just 22 games because of the ankle injury—has played a pivotal role in the Hornets’ situation on the court.
What will follow as the bearded Hornets usher in a new era under new management, the loyal NBA fraternity looks on with anticipation in their hearts to chronicle this epic journey. Could the leaving of Clifford be the starting point for a renaissance in Charlotte? It could also be the gateway to the time of upheaval and volatility.Only time will tell.
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