Steve Clifford Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Hornets Notes: Clifford, Bacon, Zeller, Batum

March 28th, 2018 at 8:33pm CST by clarkcrum

The Hornets have already announced that general manager Rich Cho won’t have his contract renewed after this season, and according to Tom Sorensen of The Charlotte Observer, head coach Steve Clifford probably shouldn’t be retained either.

Despite being one of the best coaches that the city of Charlotte has ever had – in Sorensen’s eyes – Sorensen wonders whether the team has reached a point where the players have stopped listening to Clifford and his message.

The Hornets have been one of the most disappointing teams in the NBA this year. The team was widely expected to compete for a playoff spot, but have been out of the hunt for much of the season, currently sporting a record of 34-41 with seven games remaining after finishing with a similarly disappointing record last season at 36-46.

There’s more out of Charlotte from Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer:

The Hornets selected Malik Monk with the 11th overall pick in last year’s draft, with expectations that Monk could come in and help the team this season. However, the Charlotte rookie who has probably ended up having the best season is second-round pick Dwayne Bacon, the 40th overall selection. With that in mind, Bonnell analyzes whether Bacon could end up being the better catch.
Hornets big man Cody Zeller missed his 10th consecutive game tonight against the Cavs, leaving Bonnell to wonder whether Zeller may be done for the season. Zeller, who thought he might be ready to play in Dallas on Saturday, said his injured left knee had begun to swell again after he tested it.
Part of the Hornets’ problem is a high payroll for next season, leaving the team with few options to improve upon its current roster. One albatross of a contract is that of Nicolas Batum, who is scheduled to make $24MM next season. In a mailbag piece, Bonnell answers some readers’ questions regarding Batum and his contract, among others.

Central Rumors: Griffin, Pistons, Giannis, Terry

February 26th, 2018 at 7:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons lost five of their last six games entering Monday’s contest against the Raptors but Hornets coach Steve Clifford endorses Detroit’s Blake Griffin gamble, as Keith Langlois of Pistons.com reports. Griffin is the type of player who can make a difference in the postseason, according to Clifford. “The NBA is about winning in the playoffs, right? When you’re a coach, you look at it like this. Tie score in a Game 7, there’s 12 seconds on the clock, Blake Griffin’s one of the … I don’t know, 12 to 15 guys in the league that you can’t guard one on one,” Clifford said. “The guys they gave up are terrific, OK, but they’re not go-to, Game-7-of-a-series guys that are going to dictate a double team. That’s the number one thing you have to have to win big and that’s what they picked up.”

In other news around the Central Division:

The Pistons’ bench has been outscored by its counterparts by an average of 21.1 points over the last six games. Coach Stan Van Gundy has tried a number of different combinations but nothing has worked. Detroit’s reserve unit has struggled since point guard Ish Smith was forced into the starting lineup after Reggie Jackson suffered a severe ankle sprain in late December. “The biggest problem is it’s become a lower-energy lineup,” Van Gundy told Hoops Rumors.
The Bucks have locked up Giannis Antetokounmpo through the 2020/21 season but he has no desire to go to a big city like Los Angeles anyway, as Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel relays. Antetokounmpo prefers the less hectic pace of a city like Milwaukee. “I love Milwaukee — it’s low-key,” he told Velazquez. “I can walk down the road, down the streets without anybody bugging me — nobody interrupts my conversation or anything. I love how quiet and calm Milwaukee is.”
Bucks reserve guard Jason Terry wants to play at least one more year in the league, which would allow him to reach another milestone in his long career, Genaro Armas of the Associated Press writes. “For sure, 100 percent, my goal is to play 20 seasons,” Terry said. “The organization understands that and I think the league is on notice.” Terry, 40, is averaging 2.6 PPG in 11.9 MPG. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Southeast Notes: Hornets, Walker, Magic, Wall

February 22nd, 2018 at 12:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer, Hornets vice chairman Curtis Polk said he doesn’t expect to discuss the team’s coaching staff until a new general manager is hired. However, asked if he expects Steve Clifford to return for the 2018/19 season, Polk replied, “I would today.”

Polk also addressed a few other topics in his conversation with Bonnell, including the Hornets’ salary cap situation. With approximately $118MM in guaranteed salary on the books already for 2018/19, it will be very difficult for Charlotte to upgrade its roster this offseason. However, Polk told Bonnell that the team’s next GM will be tasked with keeping team salary below the tax line while improving the roster’s depth.

Here’s more from around the Southeast division:

Whoever becomes the next Hornets general manager may have a ticking time bomb on their hands in the form of Kemba Walker‘s 2019 free agency, says Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. As Bonnell observes, it will be virtually impossible for Charlotte to extend Walker before his contract expires, so the standout point guard willcha almost certainly reach the open market.
The Magic will get a pair of key players back in their lineup tonight, with Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon set to return from hand and hip injuries, respectively. John Denton has the details at the club’s official website.
Wizards point guard John Wall is still only 27 years old, so he has a long basketball career ahead of him and doesn’t yet known what he’ll do when his playing career is done. However, he intends to enter that stage of his life armed with a business degree. As Candace Buckner of The Washington Post writes, Wall will return to the University of Kentucky this summer to work toward that degree.

Southeast Notes: Clifford, Gortat, Waiters, Hammond

January 14th, 2018 at 11:38am CST by Arthur Hill

Hornets coach Steve Clifford plans to put a greater emphasis on his personal health when he returns to work Tuesday, relays Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. The fifth-year coach had a health scare in November that forced him to step away from the team while doctors determined the source of the problem.

“The biggest thing for me is a lack of sleep. Stress-related,” Clifford said. “[The doctors’] biggest concern with me is [most executives] don’t travel as much as I do. That’s why they have been a little more careful — and rightfully so — about me coming back.”

Assistant Stephen Silas has been running the team in Clifford’s absence and will coach tomorrow’s game in Detroit before Clifford takes over at Tuesday’s practice.

There’s more news from the Southeast Division:

Wizards center Marcin Gortat said his quote about wanting to finish his career in Orlando was misinterpreted, writes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Gortat mentioned that he would like to return to the Magic so he could end his NBA journey where it started, but emphasized that he has no desire to be traded. “I want to play in Washington,” he said. “Just because I want to finish my career in a year-and-a-half doesn’t mean I don’t want to play in Washington. I think everything today was blown away a little too much.”
The Heat weren’t concerned about the $1.1MM bonus that Dion Waiters might have collected if he had remained healthy, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Waiters needed to play 70 games to receive the incentive, which won’t happen now that he is expected to have season-ending surgery on his left ankle. Miami put the bonus in his contract as a way to allow him to obtain his desired salary while leaving enough cap space to re-sign Wayne Ellington, Winderman explains, adding that the extra $1.1MM wouldn’t have pushed the team into the luxury tax.
Bucks coach Jason Kidd is confident that new GM John Hammond will eventually have success in Orlando, according to John Denton of NBA.com. Hammond constructed the current team in Milwaukee and hired Kidd before leaving for Orlando last summer. “Hammond is one of the best at putting teams together to win,’’ Kidd said. “You talk about a great individual at understanding college talent at a very high level, he’s a competitor and he wants to win and I enjoyed him when he was here [in Milwaukee].’’

Southeast Notes: Richardson, Clifford, Cordinier

January 12th, 2018 at 6:34pm CST by Austin Kent

The Heat have watched Josh Richardson develop into a go-to perimeter player, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel says in a video published at the newspaper’s website. Richardson’s numbers are up across the board and his presence has helped the team weather the Dion Waiters injury.

Richardson has averaged 12.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game for the Heat this season, up to 17.4 points and 3.7 rebounds per in 15 December contests.

Not only has the swingman been a revelation for the positionless Heat, he’s shown an ability to hang with large NBA small forwards despite weighing just 200 pounds and playing through college as a 6’6″ point guard.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Hawks draft-and-stash prospect Isaia Cordinier will undergo season-ending knee surgery, Orazio Cauchi of Sportando writes. The 2016 second-round pick has been struggling with tendinitis since at least the summer.
The medical issue that Hornets coach Steve Clifford struggled with for over a month can be attributed to a combination of stress on the sidelines as an NBA coach and sleep deprivation, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN writes. The feature delves into the head coach’s decision and why he’s confident a similar setback won’t happen again.
The Heat have a number of options with which to replace Dion Waiters‘ production, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes, including injured swingmen Justise Winslow and and Rodney McGruder. Players like Tyler Johnson and Wayne Ellington could also see larger roles.

Hornets Notes: Clifford, Cho, Walker

January 11th, 2018 at 8:54pm CST by Austin Kent

The Hornets will welcome head coach Steve Clifford back to the bench next week, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes. The coach has been out of action with an undisclosed medical condition since early December.

Per Bonnell, The Observer has learned that Clifford has struggled with severe headaches since prior to the season and has been seeking to establish the best course of preventative treatment going forward with doctors.

When Clifford left his post, the Hornets were 8-13. Under the tutelage of associate head coach Stephen Silas, the squad went 7-11.

Clifford is expected to return for practice with the Hornets next Tuesday and make his first return to the sidelines on Wednesday night.

There’s more out of Charlotte tonight:

There’s no clear indication that Hornets general manager Rich Cho is on the hot seat because it’s hard to tell how team owner Michael Jordan regards his performance thus far, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes in a question-and-answer with fans. Cho has made some solid moves, such as trading for Dwight Howard, but also some head-scratchers, like trading for Miles Plumlee.
Hornets swingman Jeremy Lamb has taken advantage of the opportunities he’s been given to showcase his skills in Charlotte, David Yapkowitz of Basketball Insiders writes. The sixth-year veteran thrived in place of Nicolas Batum and has made a case for himself as Sixth Man of the Year. In 26.4 minutes per game so far this season, Lamb has averaged a career high of 14.4 points per game.
Last week we gauged what readers thought about the idea of the Hornets trading Kemba Walker. Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer has plenty of reasons why he thinks that would be a mistake.

Steve Clifford Away From Hornets For Health Reasons

December 6th, 2017 at 9:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Hornets coach Steve Clifford will leave the team “for the immediate future” because of health concerns, the team announced this morning on its website. Associate head coach Stephen Silas will be the acting head coach while Clifford is out.

The team didn’t elaborate on the coach’s condition “out of respect for Clifford’s privacy.”

This is Clifford’s fifth season as Charlotte’s coach after spending 13 years as an NBA assistant. The 56-year-old has compiled a 169-181 record, including 9-13 this season, with two playoff appearances.

Silas, 44, is in his 18th year as an assistant. He started in the NBA as a scout with the Hornets in 1999 and rejoined the organization as a coach during the 2010/11 season.

Southeast Notes: Gordon, Dedmon, Hornets

November 17th, 2017 at 9:59pm CST by Austin Kent

The Magic could come to regret not offering 22-year-old Aaron Gordon a contract extension prior to the 2017/18 season, Frank Urbina of HoopsHype writes. Now the forward will hit restricted free agency on the heels of what has, so far, been a career year in Orlando.

In 13 games with the Magic this season, Gordon has averaged 17.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, both considerably higher marks than his career 10.1 and 5.4 rates.

Urbina cautions that the Magic would be wise to ink their forward to a lofty deal of their own design next summer rather than let him test the waters as a restricted free agent. The Jazz let Gordon Hayward do just that in 2014 and it came back to haunt them three summers later.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

The Hawks picked up Dewayne Dedmon for a relative bargain this offseason and the big man has started to come into his own with Atlanta. Buddy Grizzard of Basketball Insiders writes that, in addition to his 10.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, the 28-year-old brings energy to the team’s locker room.
Make no mistake, Hornets coach Steve Clifford is more concerned about winning than developing youth, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes. The bench boss values transparency with his players and isn’t afraid to commit to the guys that give the team the best chance of competing in the short-term.
The Heat aren’t rushing out to replace Okaro White just yet, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes. Head coach Erik Spoelstra says that he feels the roster currently has enough on board.

Southeast Notes: Vogel, Augustin, Wade, Jefferson

November 9th, 2016 at 8:29pm CST by Arthur Hill

The revamped Magic have sputtered out of the gate, but new coach Frank Vogel isn’t ready to make lineup changes, writes Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. Vogel has used the same starting five in each of Orlando’s games this season, including a blowout loss to the Bulls Monday that had him considering a shakeup. But Vogel decided to be patient with the group he has in place. “I’m not a knee-jerk coach,” Vogel said before tonight’s game. “If it’s needed, we’ll see it. I wouldn’t expect it anytime soon.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

The Magic are facing the Timberwolves and new coach/executive Tom Thibodeau tonight, which brings back fond memories for reserve point guard D.J. Augustin, Robbins notes in the same piece. Thibodeau was Augustin’s coach with the Bulls in 2013/14, and was an important influence on his career. “He gave me an opportunity to play and play a lot of big minutes,” Augustin said. “He gave me confidence. And that’s exactly what he’s probably doing with those young guys over there, and you could tell by the way they’re playing.”
Bulls guard Dwyane Wade reiterated to reporters tonight that he hasn’t had any contact with team president Pat Riley since leaving the Heat in free agency, relays Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. Wade, who is preparing for his first game back in Miami on Thursday, said he’s not sure if he will try to contact Riley before the contest. “I know who Pat is,” Wade said. “It’s no secret to me. I was there 13 years, I’ve seen a lot of players come and go. I know how he is. If you’re not with him, you’re against him. That’s just the way he is. You got to understand that, man. And I’m cool with it. I’m fine, 100 percent. I was there 13 years so I’ve seen a lot of video tributes, seen a lot of players come in and go out. And I’ve seen the way he’s responded to them. And I know if you’re not with him, you’re against him.”
Center Al Jefferson may be gone from the Hornets, but coach Steve Clifford told Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer that his 2013 signing is still helping the franchise. Clifford said Jefferson, who joined the Pacers over the summer, gave Charlotte a sense of legitimacy around the league when he came to the city. “This league, in terms of things like that, is important, how you’re perceived by the players,” Clifford said. “The players talk, and the fact that he came here has opened the door” for other signings.

Southeast Notes: Wall, Bosh, Hornets, Ibaka

September 14th, 2016 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Wizards aren’t going to push John Wall to be ready for opening night, writes Ben Standig of CSNMidAtlantic.com. The 26-year-old point guard had surgical procedures on both knees during the offseason, and the team is being careful with his recovery. “We’re in no rush,” said new Washington head coach Scott Brooks. “We want to make sure that he’s ready. It’s a process. We still have all of training camp. We’ll see. We’re going to keep working, keep pushing him. The one thing about John. He puts the work in.” Wall has started playing one-on-one, but he still has to make progress before he can handle training camp drills or five-on-five games.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

Chris Bosh may be planning to join the Heat in training camp, but veteran teammate Udonis Haslem cautions everyone to be realistic in their expectations, relays Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Bosh has had his last two seasons cut short by blood clots and he hasn’t played competitively since the All-Star break. “Chris’ timetable is just a little bit different than everybody else’s,” Haslem said. “So we have to be mindful. We have to be conscious of the things that are important. And the thing that is most important is that when Chris needs to be ready, that he’s ready.”
Hornets coach Steve Clifford believes the team’s offseason moves have improved the defense more than the offense, according to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Charlottte lost three key free agents in Jeremy Lin, Al Jefferson and Courtney Lee, but brought in Roy Hibbert, Ramon Sessions and Marco Belinelli. Also, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is expected back after missing nearly all of last season with injuries.
Serge Ibaka may help bring a winning culture to the Magic, writes Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders in a preseason look at Orlando. Ibaka, who was acquired from the Thunder in a June deal involving Victor Oladipo, was part of a very successful team in Oklahoma City and will give the Magic the rim protector they have needed since they lost Dwight Howard. However, many of the Basketball Insiders writers were confused by Orlando’s offseason moves and are concerned that they don’t have enough scorers to be a contender.