The Orlando Magic are the latest team to enter the NBA’s head coaching carousel. According to a report by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Magic and head coach Steve Clifford came to an agreement to part ways, marking the end of Clifford’s three-year tenure at the helm of the franchise.
As the Orlando Magic move into a full rebuilding process, coach Steve Clifford and the franchise have agreed together to a parting, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 5, 2021
Clifford, who led the Magic to the playoffs in successive seasons prior to this year, had several meetings with management over recent weeks that ultimately drove what’s been described to ESPN as a “mutual decision.” https://t.co/awx6SryQc3
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 5, 2021
The report was confirmed by Josh Robbins of The Athletic, and eventually, the team announced the news on its official Twitter account.
The Orlando Magic and coach Steve Clifford are close to parting ways, @TheAthleticNBA has learned.
— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) June 5, 2021
We would like to thank Steve for his contributions to the Orlando Magic. https://t.co/bNX4xSJj1J pic.twitter.com/A7j653gn6Q
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) June 5, 2021
As Wojnarowski noted, the decision to move on basically stems from the Magic wanting to embrace a rebuild while Clifford, who is 59 and about to enter the final year of his contract, is on a different timeline. During his three years as the team’s head coach, Clifford accrued a 96-131 record with back-to-back playoff berths in 2019 and 2020.
The decision to part ways means Orlando will hop into the new coach market alongside the Boston Celtics and Portland Trail Blazers. Speaking of the Blazers, Marc Stein of the New York Times brings word that Terry Stotts, who was formerly in charge in Portland, is among those considered for this position.
The Magic have interest in former Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts, league sources say, after Orlando and Steve Clifford parted ways today.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 5, 2021
It is unclear if the Magic’s list of candidates will feature the names usually linked to these sorts of vacant positions or if they will go a more unconventional route with an eye on player development. Orlando went 21-51 last season.
