Five NBA assistants Hornets could consider for their head-coaching opening

This has not been a season to remember in Charlotte, where the Hornets have played without star LaMelo Ball for all but 22 games. Through the first two days of April, the team is 18-57 and 13th in the Eastern Conference.

Now comes news that head coach Steve Clifford will not be back next season, meaning that the Brooklyn Nets (currently guided by interim Kevin Ollie), Washington Wizards (now under the direction of interim Brian Keefe) and Hornets will have new head coaches by the beginning of the 2024-2025 season. 

The NBA is often described as a league (outside of San Antonio, Golden State and Miami) riding a perpetual coaching carousel, which is really not inaccurate. 

Clifford replaced James Borrego in 2022, returning to the franchise he coached under Michael Jordan's ownership from 2013-2018. 

Of the 11 coaches in Hornets history, only Dave Cowens (1996-1999) at 109-70 and Allan Bristow (1991-1996) at 207-203 have winning records. This spring, the team will miss the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season.

Who will be next?

Here are five current NBA assistant coaches who might be a good fit:

Boston Celtics assistant Charles Lee 

The lead assistant for the league-leading Celtics, Joe Mazzulla's right-hand man has also been a part of the Milwaukee Bucks team that went to the 2021 NBA Finals (he spent five seasons in Milwaukee) and Atlanta Hawks, where he spent four seasons and helped lead the Hawks to four playoff appearances.

Sacramento Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez 

The lead assistant under Mike Brown with the Kings, Fernandez is also the head coach of Canada's national team, which defeated the United States at last year's FIBA World Cup in the Philippines.

Fernandez was head coach of the Canton Charge in the G League before spending six seasons as an assistant with the Denver Nuggets and four seasons as a player development coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He also has been an assistant coach on the Nigerian national team.

Phoenix Suns assistant Kevin Young

An assistant with the Suns who helped guide the team to the NBA Finals in 2021, Young is in his fourth season with Phoenix and his third as associate head coach. He also spent nine seasons as a coach in the NBA G League, including time as head coach of the Delaware Blue Coats, Iowa Energy and Utah Flash. 

Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn 

A big part of "Heat Culture," Quinn was a player for the Heat after leaving Notre Dame and has played a major role in Miami’s development program. He served as assistant coach/director of player development for four seasons (2016- 20) after spending his first two years as an assistant coach of player development. He also worked with Miami’s NBA G League team, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, as an assistant coach during his first year with the club.

Washington Wizards assistant David Vanterpool 

An assistant with the Washington Wizards who is mentioned as a candidate almost every time there is a head-coaching opening, Vanterpool (who played briefly in the NBA in 2001 with Washington), spent last season as an assistant coach with Brooklyn, two seasons prior as an associate head coach in Minnesota and seven seasons as an assistant in Portland.