12:10pm: The team has confirmed the decision via a press release. The statement suggests Clifford may pursue other head coaching opportunities.
“We would like to thank Steve for his contributions to the Orlando Magic,” Weltman said. “We appreciate the many sacrifices he has made as our head coach and understand the timeline of our new path does not align with his goals as a head coach in our league.”
11:45am: The Magic and coach Steve Clifford have mutually agreed to part ways, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.
Clifford has met with management multiple times over recent weeks and the two sides ultimately agreed to move on. Clifford guided the Magic into the playoffs in his first two seasons with a core group that included Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier.
Those players were shipped away at the trade deadline as the organization went into full rebuild mode. A season-ending injury to point guard Markelle Fultz began the chain of events that convinced the front office to hit the reset button.
Clifford compiled a 96-131 regular-season record with the club. Management will obviously be seeking a head coach who can develop young talent and stay patient through the process.
Clifford, 59, coached Charlotte for five seasons before he was hired by the Magic. He had one year left on his contract.
Orlando joins Portland and Boston as teams seeking new head coaches. According to Marc Stein of the New York Times (Twitter link), the Magic are interested in Terry Stotts, who parted ways with the Trail Blazers on Friday.
The recent talks between Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman and Clifford centered on the veteran coach’s long-term future with the franchise.
Orlando’s management was pleased with Clifford and his coaching staff and discussed the possibility of a contract extension, Josh Robbins of The Athletic reports. But with the Magic in the early stages of a rebuild, Clifford wasn’t ready to commit to a longer deal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Clifford is a good coach, that’s a bit of a drag. It is going to be hard for him to get a new head coaching gig…cuz he looks like azz.
These things matter.
Saved my post…was going to say- It will be tough for him bc
A- He’s a nice guy (that aint en vouge 2021)
B- He looks a bit slovenly (Def matters)
Guess you never done a belly check
3 days 3 coaching jobs open
7 more?
Why he was hired in the first place was Weltman’s worst decision to-date. OK, drafting Bamba is the worst.
Nah. Clifford was very good hire and did great job maximizing a flawed roster with almost no shooting or true alpha. He got Magic to the playoffs in 2 of his 3 years, and only reason they weren’t in it this season was because of the ridiculous injury plague that hit the Magic.
Really the only reason he’s not coach anymore is because his contract was set to expire – and no good coach wants to be a lame duck coach in a contract year as team is entering the 1st year of a rebuild.
Rebuilding teams implement fiscal cutbacks so extending Clifford was unlikely unless he gave them a big discount rate…which a coach of his caliber wouldn’t do.
Time to start “recycling” coaches!
Vandepool
Go Blazers !
All the Magic due is hit the reset every couple of years. Sounds like there is no real plan.
Now there a good spot for blazers coach to land . Unless they want one of the up and coming assistant
Magic job is a hard one not even lakers head coach now could save them. When he coach them .Maybe they need a new front office not just a coach
Why would Vogel save them? He went 54-110 as the coach in Orlando 2-3 years ago. Has being with the Lakers suddenly made him a better coach?
You forget he was the pacers coach and they made pretty deep runs in his time if it wasn’t for lebron they might of made at least one final
Frankie can’t coach.
Who would want to be in that situation where ownership does not have a plan…
Bit harsh. Roster actually has some promise. Injuries to Isaac and Fultz is bad luck but they’ve talent. Carter is good pickup. Weltman got rid of the deadwood like Fournier/Gordon and he fleeced the Bulls as Vucevic is on the wrong side of 30. Needs to hire someone like Kenny Atkinson as player development coach rather than win now coaches like the last one.
The most promising thing about the roster is the assurance of high picks in the next few years.
I think this will be Weltman’s first build but his first few years were not promising. Fultz was injured when acquired… a teaser.
Carter forgot how to shoot. Bamba the one that stays?— I would rather a good pick and Birch. But a great deal with The Bulls.
Not surprising he will start with a new coach, merited or not.