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Charlotte Hornets Must Stay the Course With Steve Clifford

By Andrew C. Fisher

Apr 8, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets head coach Steve Clifford gives a thumbs down during the second half against the Toronto Raptors at Time Warner Cable Arena. The Raptors defeated the Hornets 92-74. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets head coach Steve Clifford gives a thumbs down during the second half against the Toronto Raptors at Time Warner Cable Arena. The Raptors defeated the Hornets 92-74. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Charlotte Hornets are stuck in the middle of the NBA. Their .407 winning percentage says it all. It’s also no secret that a team winning approximately four out of 10 games in the NBA isn’t doing itself any favors in the scheme of things.

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With expectations in Charlotte raised this season after a playoff berth in 2014, the underwhelming record and play on the court hurt a little bit more. If last season was two steps forward, 2014-15 has definitely been one step back.

Naturally, there must be someone or something to blame. In the world of sports a head has to roll when a team under-performs. It’s basically an unwritten rule at this point.

But in the case of the Hornets, that sacrifice should not be head coach Steve Clifford, as some fans have suggested.

To those who want him fired — don’t you think that’s a bit of an overreaction? The man led his team to the playoffs in his first ever campaign as an NBA head coach and also had them in postseason contention until the last week of this season. Considering how the past decade has gone in Charlotte, that’s not too shabby.

Sure, it’s the Eastern Conference. The bar is lower. But Clifford is just playing the hand he’s been dealt. He is far from perfect, especially on the offensive side of the ball, but not the root of the problem in Charlotte.

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    • The issue is the current crop of players. The powers that be (Cho and Jordan) just haven’t found the right combination yet. Their attempt to add the proverbial missing piece with Lance Stephenson obviously didn’t work out as planned this year. That signing, which Clifford is partially responsible for, is the main reason the Hornets haven’t taken the next step.

    That being said, everybody makes mistakes in free agency. But you dust yourself off and try again.

    If Charlotte can trade away Stephenson this offseason, albeit for pennies on the dollar, it will go a long way toward correcting the disappointment from the 2014-15 campaign. As talented as the 24-year old is, he’s just not a fit with the Hornets.

    But the ultimate proof that Steve Clifford is not the problem in Charlotte is that one of his star players has his back. Kemba Walker is clearly in his coach’s corner.

    “It has nothing to do with him. He does a great job, he’s a fantastic coach. He always does his best to give us the right game plan, to try and get wins. I’m 100 percent behind him. I believe in him,” said Walker via Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.

    “It has nothing to do with him. He does a great job, he’s a fantastic coach. He always does his best to give us the right game plan, to try and get wins. I’m 100 percent behind him. I believe in him.” – Kemba Walker

    Walker also cited his head coach as one of the main reasons why the Hornets were able to make the playoffs last season.

    Unless it was abundantly clear at this point that Clifford was the rotten apple, there’s no good reason to abandon ship after just two years.

    The NBA is definitely a “what have you done for me lately” type of league, but even in the modern era competent coaches deserve a chance to prove themselves over three or four seasons.

    Next: P.J. Hairston And The Worst Shooting Rookie Class

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