Steve Clifford, Magic Mutually Agree to Part Ways After 3 Seasons

As the Orlando Magic enter a full-scale rebuilding period, Steve Clifford's three-year run as head coach with the organization has come to an end.

The team announced on Saturday that the two sides have mutually agreed to part ways following Orlando's 21-51 record in 2020-21.

The Magic hired Clifford in May 2018, a month-and-a-half after the Charlotte Hornets fired him. The 59-year-old led a modest resurgence for the franchise in his first season.

Orlando won the Southeast Division in 2018-19 for the first time in nine years and made the playoffs for the first time in seven years. The defense ranked fifth in points allowed and eighth in defensive rating with a solid nucleus of Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon, Evan Fournier and Jonathan Isaac.

Despite losing to the Toronto Raptors in five games in the first round, it looked like Clifford had the Magic on the right track.

Things quickly unraveled with a 33-40 record in 2019-20, though the Magic were still able to make the playoffs thanks to a weak Eastern Conference.

A 4-0 start this season seemed to bring optimism back to Orlando, but things fell apart because of a variety of problems. Injuries were one of the biggest issues for the team. Isaac was ruled out for the year after tearing his ACL in August during the restart. Markelle Fultz played eight games before tearing his ACL on Jan. 6.

Gordon missed four weeks early in the year with a sprained ankle.

Clifford's starting lineups at various points featured Michael Carter-Williams, James Ennis and Gary Clark. It was a near-impossible situation for any head coach to navigate.

Prior to the trade deadline, Orlando's front office signaled its plans to build for the future. Vucevic, Gordon and Fournier were all traded. The Magic did receive talented players like Wendell Carter Jr., Gary Harris and R.J. Hampton back in those trades.

The Magic also got three future first-round draft picks—two from the Chicago Bulls in the Vucevic deal and one from the Denver Nuggets as part of the Gordon package—to help expedite their rebuild. They also project to have a high pick of their own this year after posting the third-worst record in the league.

Given the direction Orlando's roster is going, moving on from Clifford now makes sense for the franchise. He gets the opportunity to find a situation that can maximize his strengths. The organization gets a fresh start with a new head coach who can develop what will be a young core into a perennial playoff contender.

Clifford made the playoffs in each of his first two seasons in Orlando but finished with an 96-131 overall record.