Hornets name Steve Clifford as head coach

The Charlotte Hornets and Steve Clifford have reached an agreement for Clifford to return as the franchise’s next head coach.

Clifford served as the franchise’s head coach from 2013-2018, going 196-214 with two playoff appearances. At the end of the 2018 season, he was fired and replaced by James Borrego.

After Kenny Atkinson backed out, rumors surfaced that the Hornets were interested in bringing Clifford back. After meeting with Clifford this week, Michael Jordan and General Manager Mitch Kupchak chose to return to a familiar face instead of going through another search process.

Following his departure from the Hornets, Clifford served as the head coach of the Orlando Magic for three seasons. He took the team to the playoffs in 2019 and 2020 before being let go at the end of the 2021 season.

The roster Clifford will inherit is completely different from the one he left. No players from his previous tenure remain on the roster.

Clifford will face the task of improving the Hornets’ defense and turning Charlotte into a regular playoff team. During his first run in Charlotte, the Hornets finished in the top ten in defensive rating on three occasions.

Clifford will have to develop the young assets the team has collected over the years. His previous teams relied on veteran play, so only time will tell how the young assets in Charlotte develop on Clifford’s watch.

Clifford was among a group of three finalists that included veteran head coach Mike D’Antoni and former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts, according to Steve Reed of The Associated Press.