3 Hornets whose stocks are skyrocketing, 2 that are fading fast

Fading: Steve Clifford

When it comes to the job security of Charlotte Hornets head coach Steve Clifford, it is far from secure. The Hornets brought Clifford back because they were not getting where they wanted to go under former coach James Borrego. Charlotte managed just one winning season under Borrego, and the organization opted to go back to the last coach to lead this team to a postseason appearance. This does not necessarily mean that his job is secure.

There are two reasons why Clifford’s stock is fading in Charlotte. First off, there is the fact that this team has a 29-59 record in his second stint as the Hornets’ head coach. This is hardly an impressive mark, even though last year’s disappointing record can be excused (sort of) due to the amount of injuries this team suffered. However, that may not be enough to warrant the second Clifford era to continue.

The other reason why Clifford should not feel comfortable with how things have played out? Charlotte’s change in organizational leadership. It was highly unlikely that the new ownership group was going to make a mid-summer coaching change, putting Clifford into a position where he needed to prove his worth. Unfortunately, things have not really played out in a manner that he would prefer. If the Hornets are not able to take a massive step forward under Clifford’s leadership, it would not be surprising to see changes being made at season’s end, if not sooner.