Charlotte Hornets: Could Steve Clifford return to the team soon?
An update regarding Charlotte Hornets’ head coach, Steve Clifford, has finally been given but a return date has not yet been set.
According to former NBA head coach and current ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy, Steve Clifford is starting to feel better and “all signs are pointing to good.” (Twitter/ @bgeis_bird) Van Gundy and Clifford have a long history together and are close friends. The Charlotte Hornets’ head coach has been away from the team since December 4th because of a “health issue.”
Clifford got his first job in the NBA under Van Gundy with the New York Knicks. Jeff, who was the head coach at the time, originally hired Steve to be the team’s advance scout in 2000. Cliff was then promoted to an assistant coach the following season.
After JVG left NY in 2001, he got his next gig as the head coach of the Rockets. Clifford followed Van Gundy to Houston where he was an assistant under Jeff from 2003-2007. Since then, Clifford jumped around the league a bit with the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers before becoming the head coach of Charlotte in 2013.
More from Swarm and Sting
- Hornets: Where does Brandon Miller’s ceiling rank among other rookies?
- Charlotte Hornets grade out mostly average in position-by-position ranking
- Hornets News: P.J. Washington makes bold statement on Brandon Miller
- Grade the mock trade: Hornets snag Tyler Herro, flip Gordon Hayward
- Will the Charlotte Hornets be in the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery?
It isn’t clear exactly what health issue the 56-year old is dealing with but he has been away from the team for over a month. A timetable for his return was never given but this is the news we’ve heard regarding Clifford since he left in early December.
Associate head coach Stephen Silas has taken over as the team’s acting head coach in Clifford’s absence. Silas has led the Hornets to a 7-10 record while Steve has been out.
Although the news is encouraging, it’s still unclear when Steve could or will return to the Hornets’ sideline as an official update has not been given. It could be soon or it could still be some time away. We’ll have to continue to wait for further news before giving an exact return date.
It’s worth noting that Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reported that the “health issue” that Steve Clifford is dealing with is “not heart-related.” The Hornets’ head coach had two stents placed in his heart during his first season with Charlotte.
Next: Three trades the Hornets must make
While Steve Clifford could return soon, there is not a definitive answer. At least this was a positive update and hopefully, he can regain full health and return to the Charlotte Hornets’ sideline soon. As for the team, they will look to continue turning things around this season under Stephen Silas.