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Steve Clifford is back in Charlotte.
Clifford has agreed to a multi-year deal to return as head coach of the Hornets of the NBA four years after being fired by team owner Michael Jordan, the team announced Friday night.
Charlotte had previously agreed to become head coach on a four-year contract with Golden State Assistant Kenny Atkinson, but Atkinson later informed the team that he wasn’t taking on the job for family reasons. Did.
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“I’m happy to be back in Charlotte. I would like to thank Michael Jordan, Mitch Kupchak and Buzz Peterson for giving me this opportunity,” Clifford said in a release. “This is an exciting young team with lots of talented work. Charlotte is a wonderful city and I know directly that Hornets fans are passionate about this franchise. Go back to town and be with us. I can’t wait to start working. Players. “
Clifford, 60, has spent five seasons coaching the Hornets since 2013-18, editing 196-214 records with a team that includes Kemba Walker.
He was dismissed in 2018 when Kupchak arrived as general manager after leading the Hornets to two playoffs. Clifford has coached Orlando Magic since 2018-21 and has reached the playoffs twice. He spent last season as a coaching consultant in Brooklyn Nets.
Clifford is 292-345 in eight seasons as an NBA coach.
His best season in Charlotte came in 2015-16, when the Hornets were 48-34 and lost seven games to the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs.
Team owner Michael Jordan met Clifford on Wednesday. Clifford left the team in good condition in 2018.
Known as a defensive coach, Clifford has succeeded the team that was 8th in the offensive last season and 22nd in the defensive. The Hornets gave up 132 points with a 29-point defeat to the Hawks in last season’s play-in elimination game, which didn’t go well with Jordan.
The Hornets finished 6th, 10th, 9th, 17th and 17th in defensive ratings in Clifford’s five seasons.
During his eight seasons as NBA head coach, Clifford’s team had the fewest committed turnovers and never ended up outside the top five of the league. Also, in seven of his eight campaigns, his team was in the top two with allowed offensive rebounds, with a defensive rebound rate.
Kupchak said he hopes the Hornets will continue to play at a high pace.
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“Steve promises to play at the same aggressive pace that fans have been accustomed to in the last few years,” Kupchak said. “I am confident that he can help our young players continue to grow in order to take the next step as a team.”
Clifford is arguably more talented than any of the previous Charlotte teams, with all-star point guards LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward and Miles Bridges fixing the team.
Atkinson’s decision to renew his contract on Saturday shocked the Hornets and sent them scrambled for exchange.
Kupchak said it was “disappointing,” but in a sense, he is grateful for what happened when it happened.
“I think he was a good choice, but if he’s not comfortable here, I’d rather find now than a year from now,” Kupchak said Thursday night during the NBA Draft.
Mike D’Antoni and Terry Stotts were also considering this job.
Kupchak said he adjusted the team’s draft without a head coach this year, but that wasn’t a big deal and he said he had worked with coaches who weren’t in the draft room for the past few years.
The Charlotte team traded their 13th overall pick to the New York Knicks, making four upcoming first and second round picks, followed by Duke Center’s Mark Williams in 15th place. ..
“The roster really wins the game,” Kupchak said. “A good coach will help you with your roster, but the most important thing is to put it together.”
The general manager said that Atkinson’s decision reminded him when Steve Kerr declined to work as a coach for Knicks, but he went to the Golden State and won four NBA titles there.
“It looks like (Car) is making a good decision to work in the Golden State,” Kupchak said with a laugh. “So maybe Kenny told Steve, and Steve said,” Hey, maybe things will work this way for you. “I don’t know. “
Kupchak also noted that the NFL’s Bill Belichick suddenly resigned before an introductory press conference with the New York Jets in 2000. Belichick coached the New England Patriots and won six Super Bowls.
“That was a good decision, so maybe Kenny is working on something,” Kupchak jokingly said.
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Atkinson has not responded to an interview request from the AP seeking comment on his decision to cancel the contract. But Kerr told NBC Sports that Atkinson declined to work because he didn’t want to uproot his family again.