Magic, coach Clifford agree to part ways
The Orlando Magic and head coach Steve Clifford have mutually agreed to part ways, the team announced Saturday.
Clifford guided the Magic to a 21-51 record this year, the lowest winning percentage (.292) in his three seasons in charge of the team.
The Magic will now shift their focus to former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts, sources told The New York Times' Marc Stein. Stotts and the Blazers organization parted ways on Friday after nine seasons.
Former Charlotte Hornets bench boss Clifford was at the helm for two successive playoff appearances and subsequent first-round exits in Orlando prior to this year's second-last place finish in the Eastern Conference.
The Magic are set to tackle an offseason rebuilding process after casting off their cornerstone pieces ahead of the trade deadline.
Orlando shipped All-Star Nikola Vucevic to the Chicago Bulls for a package that included Wendell Carter Jr. and two first-round picks. The organization then sent Aaron Gordon to the Denver Nuggets for guards Gary Harris and RJ Hampton and a protected 2025 first-round pick, and Evan Fournier was traded to the Boston Celtics for two second-round selections.
Clifford finishes his Orlando tenure with a 96-131 record. He ended the franchises' longest playoff drought during the 2018-19 campaign.
The Magic enter the 2021 NBA Draft with the third-best odds of securing the No. 1 selection, who is widely expected to be Oklahoma State freshman star Cade Cunningham.