The Charlotte Hornets will be on a market for a new head coach in the summer. The franchise announced on Wednesday that their current head coach Steve Clifford will step down from his role after the 2023-24 NBA season.

Clifford will still remain part of the franchise moving forward and is expected to “move into an advisory role with the front office next season.”

Clifford was hired as the Hornets’ head coach in 2022 for his second stint with the franchise. After finishing the last season with a 27-55 record, Charlotte is currently 18-57 with seven games left in 2023-24.

Despite having a poor record, Clifford is well respected by the Hornets front office and was reportedly offered an opportunity to return next season. However, he decided to reject the opportunity because he “wasn’t prepared to commit to the year-round grind of head coaching,” according to ESPN.

“This is the appropriate time for me to step down,” Clifford said in a statement. “I believe this is best for me and the organization.”

A longtime NBA assistant, Steve Clifford received his first head coaching opportunity with Charlotte in 2013. He spent five years during his first stint with the franchise, making playoffs twice. After being fired at the end of the 2017–18 season, Clifford was hired by the Orlando Magic and led them to two playoff appearances during his three seasons in charge.

The post Charlotte Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford to Step Down After 2023-24 NBA Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Miami Heat are getting younger at the point guard position. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Heat swapped veteran Kyle Lowry for point guard Terry Rozier in a trade with the Hornets.

Reportedly, the Heat will also send a first-round selection to Charlotte as part of the deal. The pick is lottery-protected in 2027 and unprotected in 2028.

Lowry hasn’t been on his usual level this season. While remaining engaged on defense, his averages were lowest since the 2009-10 campaign. In 37 games, Lowry has been averaging 8.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game.

Meanwhile, Rozier is having a career year in 2023-24. He is averaging a career-high 23.2 points and 6.6 assists per game while adding 3.9 rebounds. The Heat likely expect him to instill their starting lineup with more energy while providing a much bigger punch on the offense compared to Lowry.

The Hornets are among the worst teams in the league, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that they are sellers as the NBA trade deadline approaches. According to reports, the team is looking to move several other players. This now includes Lowry, who will be either traded or let go via contract buyout.

The post Heat Swap Kyle Lowry for Terry Rozier in a Trade With the Hornets appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Charlotte Hornets star point guard LaMelo Ball returned to the court for Friday night’s game against the San Antonio Spurs after previously missing 20 games due to a right ankle sprain.

Ball put up a stellar display, finishing the night with 28 points, three rebounds, five assists, and five steals. Unfortunately, this wasn’t enough for the Hornets to avoid a 135-99 defeat, which stretched their loss streak to four games.

“It’s always good to play basketball, but not like that,” Ball said after the game. “But it was cool to get back out there.”

Ball initially went down in the November 28 game against the Orlando Magic. He sprained his right ankle, the same one he underwent surgery on that caused him to end the 2022-23 campaign early.

When healthy, Ball played on an All-Star level this season. In 16 games, he has averaged a career-high 24.9 points to go with 5.3 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.6 steals. The 22-year-old is also shooting a career-best 43.9% from the floor.

The Hornets will hope that Ball’s return can finally get them playing more consistently. Charlotte lost 17 out of 20 games that Ball missed and is currently sitting at No. 13 in the Eastern Conference with an 8-28 record.

The post Hornets Star LaMelo Ball Returns Against the Spurs After Missing 20 Games appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Charlotte Hornets star LeMelo Ball is set to be sidelined for several weeks after incurring a right ankle sprain, head coach Steve Clifford confirmed. Clifford admitted that Ball’s setback is a “frustrating” one given that the guard was set to be a crucial part of the team’s starting lineup going forward.

“Obviously it’s frustrating,” Clifford commented. “The other night was the first time we went into a game for two years where that was the projected starting lineup — basically, that it was the team that I thought I would coach. And we got about a quarter and three minutes when he got hurt.”

Ball sprained his ankle early during the second quarter of Charlotte’s 130-117 loss to the Orlando Magic when he landed hard on his ankle while attempting a drive. A more definitive recovery timeline for the Hornets star is expected to be confirmed in the coming days.

The post Hornets’ LaMelo Ball Out With Ankle Sprain appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Charlotte Hornets announced on Monday that they partnered with popular YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson, aka Mr. Beast, on a new jersey-patch sponsorship deal.

The logo of Mr. Beast’s food brand Feastables will appear as a patch on the Hornets’ jersey for 2023-24 while also being prominently featured on the team’s media backdrops. Feastables logo will also be part of other Hornets-associated teams, including their NBA G League affiliate Greensboro Swarm and the NBA 2K League esports team Hornets Venom GT.

The Hornets announced Feastables as their new jersey-patch sponsor via a video featuring All-Star guard LaMelo Ball.

Donaldson, who resides in Greenville, North Carolina, also confirmed the partnership on social media.

“I love Basketball, so it only makes sense for Feastables’s first sponsorship to be with my home team,” Donaldson wrote on Twitter while attaching the photo of the new Hornet’s jersey.

Mr. Beast is one of the most popular content creators in the world, gaining popularity for his frequent giveaways and elaborate videos. He has the second-most subscribed channel on YouTube, with 188 million subscribers.

In recent years, Donaldson ventured into other businesses, most notably Feastables chocolate bars and cookies. The YouTube star started the fast-food chain MrBeast Burger, which doesn’t have physical locations and focuses on delivery.

The post Hornets Partner With YouTuber Mr. Beast for Jersey-Patch Sponsorship appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Michael Jordan, arguably the best basketball player of all time, has ended his time as an NBA team owner. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Jordan has agreed to sell his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets to an ownership group led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall.

Plotkin, a minority owner with the Hornets, and Schnall, a minority owner with the Atlanta Hawks, agreed to pay $3 billion to take over the control of the team. Jordan will reportedly keep a minor stake in the franchise. 

Jordan, who originally bought the Hornets in 2010 for $275 million, put the franchise on sale earlier this year. He previously sold a significant minority stake in the team to a group that included Plotkin and hedge fund manager Daniel Sundheim back in 2020.

Under Jordan’s ownership, the Charlotte Hornets were consistently one of the worst teams in the NBA. They only made the playoffs twice, being eliminated in the first round both times. Their best regular-season finish was sixth seed in Eastern Conference in 2015–16.

The Hornets, however, might be positioned to have a bright future. They have a young star in point guard LaMelo Ball and hold the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

The post Michael Jordan Completes the Sale of Hornets for $3 Billion appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Charlotte Hornets point guard LeMelo Ball confirmed on Monday that he is hoping to return from injury in time for the team’s training camp this coming summer. Ball has been sidelined on multiple occasions this season, limited to just 36 games due to his right ankle fracture. So far, he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of wearing ankle braces as he eases back into the game.

“It’s tough,” Ball reflected. “I mean probably annoying just going through it, but I’m still alive and stuff like that, so you can’t really be too mad. Just go through the rehab, do that whole process and try to come out on top.”

After struggling to find his form following several setbacks resulting from his injury, Ball underwent season-ending surgery on his broken right ankle on March 1.

Prior to his setback, Ball proved to be one of the Hornets’ standout stars, averaging career highs in points (23.3) and assists (8.3) per game last season while becoming the second-youngest player to score 1,000 points, assists and rebounds in NBA history behind LeBron James.

The post LaMelo Ball Reveals Expected Recovery Timeline appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Michael Jordan’s reign as the owner of the Charlotte Hornets might soon come to an end. Jordan is reportedly engaged in talks to sell a majority stake in the franchise to a group led by businessman Gabe Plotkin, who already has a minority stake in Hornets, and Atlanta Hawks minority owner Rick Schnal.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, while the deal is not imminent, there is enough traction for all parties to be optimistic about getting it over the finishing line. If the sale is completed, Plotkin and Schnal will take over as Hornets’ governors, while Jordan will keep a minority stake in the team.

Jordan, widely considered the best basketball player in the history of the sport, bought a minority stake in the franchise back in 2006, becoming the second-largest shareholder at the time. Four years later, the Hall of Famer became the Hornets’ majority owner, purchasing the team for $275 million.

During Jordan’s time as the owner, the Hornets made three playoff appearances, losing in the First Round each time. Their best regular-season result in the East during that time was the sixth seed in 2015–16.

The Hornets are currently sitting at No. 14 on the Eastern Conference standings with a 22-49 record. If they remain there, it will mark the team’s worst finish in the past 10 years.

The post Michael Jordan Looking to Sell Majority Stake in the Hornets appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball missed his team’s 122-118 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday after suffering a sore left ankle and sore right knee, marking the latest in a slew of injury setbacks for the 21-year-old player.

Ball missed the first 13 games of the season after spraining the same ankle that kept him out of Saturday’s game. Upon recovering, Ball appeared in three consecutive games before spraining it yet again, this time due to stepping on a fan’s foot. This second ankle sprain saw Ball ruling himself out of a further 11 games.

“Obviously, Melo is our star player,” Hornets guard Terry Rozier said. “We definitely need him. It’s definitely been our story all season, so we just try to work with what we’ve got and play the best basketball that we can.”

Lately, the Hornets have been struggling without their star man. After losing eight out of nine games, the Hornets won their last two successive games, however, they remain adrift in 14th place in the Eastern Conference standings.

The post Ball Misses Hornets Win Over Hawks Through Multiple-Injury Setback appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Kenny Atkinson won’t become the new head coach of the Charlotte Hornets. Instead, Atkinson decided to snub the Hornets in favor of staying on Steve Kerr’s staff with the Golden State Warriors.

The Hornets identified Atkinson as James Borrego’s successor back in early June, and the two sides agreed on a four-year deal. However, after winning an NBA title with the Warriors last week, Atkinson changed his mind and decided to remain in Golden State.

The contract was reportedly never signed, making it easier for Atkinson to back out of a job. He is now expected to be the top assistant on the Warriors’ staff after Mike Brown leaves to become the head coach for the Sacramento Kings.

The Charlotte Hornets considered various candidates for their head-coaching vacancy before reportedly settling on finalists in former NBA Coach of the Year Mike D’Antoni and Atkinson. The two were scheduled to meet with Hornets’ owner Michael Jordan, but only Atkinson ended up making it to the final interview. He was offered the job shortly after, and D’Antoni reportedly never got a face-to-face with Jordan.

It remains to be seen whether the Hornets simply circle back to D’Antoni or decide to restart the search. It is believed that former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts, who was a candidate early in the process, might also get a second look.

The post Kenny Atkinson Snubs Hornets in Favor of Warriors Stay appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Charlotte Hornets will be on a market for a new head coach in the summer. The franchise announced on Wednesday that their current head coach Steve Clifford will step down from his role after the 2023-24 NBA season.

Clifford will still remain part of the franchise moving forward and is expected to “move into an advisory role with the front office next season.”

Clifford was hired as the Hornets’ head coach in 2022 for his second stint with the franchise. After finishing the last season with a 27-55 record, Charlotte is currently 18-57 with seven games left in 2023-24.

Despite having a poor record, Clifford is well respected by the Hornets front office and was reportedly offered an opportunity to return next season. However, he decided to reject the opportunity because he “wasn’t prepared to commit to the year-round grind of head coaching,” according to ESPN.

“This is the appropriate time for me to step down,” Clifford said in a statement. “I believe this is best for me and the organization.”

A longtime NBA assistant, Steve Clifford received his first head coaching opportunity with Charlotte in 2013. He spent five years during his first stint with the franchise, making playoffs twice. After being fired at the end of the 2017–18 season, Clifford was hired by the Orlando Magic and led them to two playoff appearances during his three seasons in charge.

The post Charlotte Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford to Step Down After 2023-24 NBA Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Miami Heat are getting younger at the point guard position. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Heat swapped veteran Kyle Lowry for point guard Terry Rozier in a trade with the Hornets.

Reportedly, the Heat will also send a first-round selection to Charlotte as part of the deal. The pick is lottery-protected in 2027 and unprotected in 2028.

Lowry hasn’t been on his usual level this season. While remaining engaged on defense, his averages were lowest since the 2009-10 campaign. In 37 games, Lowry has been averaging 8.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game.

Meanwhile, Rozier is having a career year in 2023-24. He is averaging a career-high 23.2 points and 6.6 assists per game while adding 3.9 rebounds. The Heat likely expect him to instill their starting lineup with more energy while providing a much bigger punch on the offense compared to Lowry.

The Hornets are among the worst teams in the league, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that they are sellers as the NBA trade deadline approaches. According to reports, the team is looking to move several other players. This now includes Lowry, who will be either traded or let go via contract buyout.

The post Heat Swap Kyle Lowry for Terry Rozier in a Trade With the Hornets appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Charlotte Hornets star point guard LaMelo Ball returned to the court for Friday night’s game against the San Antonio Spurs after previously missing 20 games due to a right ankle sprain.

Ball put up a stellar display, finishing the night with 28 points, three rebounds, five assists, and five steals. Unfortunately, this wasn’t enough for the Hornets to avoid a 135-99 defeat, which stretched their loss streak to four games.

“It’s always good to play basketball, but not like that,” Ball said after the game. “But it was cool to get back out there.”

Ball initially went down in the November 28 game against the Orlando Magic. He sprained his right ankle, the same one he underwent surgery on that caused him to end the 2022-23 campaign early.

When healthy, Ball played on an All-Star level this season. In 16 games, he has averaged a career-high 24.9 points to go with 5.3 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.6 steals. The 22-year-old is also shooting a career-best 43.9% from the floor.

The Hornets will hope that Ball’s return can finally get them playing more consistently. Charlotte lost 17 out of 20 games that Ball missed and is currently sitting at No. 13 in the Eastern Conference with an 8-28 record.

The post Hornets Star LaMelo Ball Returns Against the Spurs After Missing 20 Games appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Charlotte Hornets star LeMelo Ball is set to be sidelined for several weeks after incurring a right ankle sprain, head coach Steve Clifford confirmed. Clifford admitted that Ball’s setback is a “frustrating” one given that the guard was set to be a crucial part of the team’s starting lineup going forward.

“Obviously it’s frustrating,” Clifford commented. “The other night was the first time we went into a game for two years where that was the projected starting lineup — basically, that it was the team that I thought I would coach. And we got about a quarter and three minutes when he got hurt.”

Ball sprained his ankle early during the second quarter of Charlotte’s 130-117 loss to the Orlando Magic when he landed hard on his ankle while attempting a drive. A more definitive recovery timeline for the Hornets star is expected to be confirmed in the coming days.

The post Hornets’ LaMelo Ball Out With Ankle Sprain appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Charlotte Hornets announced on Monday that they partnered with popular YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson, aka Mr. Beast, on a new jersey-patch sponsorship deal.

The logo of Mr. Beast’s food brand Feastables will appear as a patch on the Hornets’ jersey for 2023-24 while also being prominently featured on the team’s media backdrops. Feastables logo will also be part of other Hornets-associated teams, including their NBA G League affiliate Greensboro Swarm and the NBA 2K League esports team Hornets Venom GT.

The Hornets announced Feastables as their new jersey-patch sponsor via a video featuring All-Star guard LaMelo Ball.

Donaldson, who resides in Greenville, North Carolina, also confirmed the partnership on social media.

“I love Basketball, so it only makes sense for Feastables’s first sponsorship to be with my home team,” Donaldson wrote on Twitter while attaching the photo of the new Hornet’s jersey.

Mr. Beast is one of the most popular content creators in the world, gaining popularity for his frequent giveaways and elaborate videos. He has the second-most subscribed channel on YouTube, with 188 million subscribers.

In recent years, Donaldson ventured into other businesses, most notably Feastables chocolate bars and cookies. The YouTube star started the fast-food chain MrBeast Burger, which doesn’t have physical locations and focuses on delivery.

The post Hornets Partner With YouTuber Mr. Beast for Jersey-Patch Sponsorship appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Michael Jordan, arguably the best basketball player of all time, has ended his time as an NBA team owner. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Jordan has agreed to sell his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets to an ownership group led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall.

Plotkin, a minority owner with the Hornets, and Schnall, a minority owner with the Atlanta Hawks, agreed to pay $3 billion to take over the control of the team. Jordan will reportedly keep a minor stake in the franchise. 

Jordan, who originally bought the Hornets in 2010 for $275 million, put the franchise on sale earlier this year. He previously sold a significant minority stake in the team to a group that included Plotkin and hedge fund manager Daniel Sundheim back in 2020.

Under Jordan’s ownership, the Charlotte Hornets were consistently one of the worst teams in the NBA. They only made the playoffs twice, being eliminated in the first round both times. Their best regular-season finish was sixth seed in Eastern Conference in 2015–16.

The Hornets, however, might be positioned to have a bright future. They have a young star in point guard LaMelo Ball and hold the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

The post Michael Jordan Completes the Sale of Hornets for $3 Billion appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Charlotte Hornets point guard LeMelo Ball confirmed on Monday that he is hoping to return from injury in time for the team’s training camp this coming summer. Ball has been sidelined on multiple occasions this season, limited to just 36 games due to his right ankle fracture. So far, he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of wearing ankle braces as he eases back into the game.

“It’s tough,” Ball reflected. “I mean probably annoying just going through it, but I’m still alive and stuff like that, so you can’t really be too mad. Just go through the rehab, do that whole process and try to come out on top.”

After struggling to find his form following several setbacks resulting from his injury, Ball underwent season-ending surgery on his broken right ankle on March 1.

Prior to his setback, Ball proved to be one of the Hornets’ standout stars, averaging career highs in points (23.3) and assists (8.3) per game last season while becoming the second-youngest player to score 1,000 points, assists and rebounds in NBA history behind LeBron James.

The post LaMelo Ball Reveals Expected Recovery Timeline appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Michael Jordan’s reign as the owner of the Charlotte Hornets might soon come to an end. Jordan is reportedly engaged in talks to sell a majority stake in the franchise to a group led by businessman Gabe Plotkin, who already has a minority stake in Hornets, and Atlanta Hawks minority owner Rick Schnal.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, while the deal is not imminent, there is enough traction for all parties to be optimistic about getting it over the finishing line. If the sale is completed, Plotkin and Schnal will take over as Hornets’ governors, while Jordan will keep a minority stake in the team.

Jordan, widely considered the best basketball player in the history of the sport, bought a minority stake in the franchise back in 2006, becoming the second-largest shareholder at the time. Four years later, the Hall of Famer became the Hornets’ majority owner, purchasing the team for $275 million.

During Jordan’s time as the owner, the Hornets made three playoff appearances, losing in the First Round each time. Their best regular-season result in the East during that time was the sixth seed in 2015–16.

The Hornets are currently sitting at No. 14 on the Eastern Conference standings with a 22-49 record. If they remain there, it will mark the team’s worst finish in the past 10 years.

The post Michael Jordan Looking to Sell Majority Stake in the Hornets appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball missed his team’s 122-118 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday after suffering a sore left ankle and sore right knee, marking the latest in a slew of injury setbacks for the 21-year-old player.

Ball missed the first 13 games of the season after spraining the same ankle that kept him out of Saturday’s game. Upon recovering, Ball appeared in three consecutive games before spraining it yet again, this time due to stepping on a fan’s foot. This second ankle sprain saw Ball ruling himself out of a further 11 games.

“Obviously, Melo is our star player,” Hornets guard Terry Rozier said. “We definitely need him. It’s definitely been our story all season, so we just try to work with what we’ve got and play the best basketball that we can.”

Lately, the Hornets have been struggling without their star man. After losing eight out of nine games, the Hornets won their last two successive games, however, they remain adrift in 14th place in the Eastern Conference standings.

The post Ball Misses Hornets Win Over Hawks Through Multiple-Injury Setback appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Kenny Atkinson won’t become the new head coach of the Charlotte Hornets. Instead, Atkinson decided to snub the Hornets in favor of staying on Steve Kerr’s staff with the Golden State Warriors.

The Hornets identified Atkinson as James Borrego’s successor back in early June, and the two sides agreed on a four-year deal. However, after winning an NBA title with the Warriors last week, Atkinson changed his mind and decided to remain in Golden State.

The contract was reportedly never signed, making it easier for Atkinson to back out of a job. He is now expected to be the top assistant on the Warriors’ staff after Mike Brown leaves to become the head coach for the Sacramento Kings.

The Charlotte Hornets considered various candidates for their head-coaching vacancy before reportedly settling on finalists in former NBA Coach of the Year Mike D’Antoni and Atkinson. The two were scheduled to meet with Hornets’ owner Michael Jordan, but only Atkinson ended up making it to the final interview. He was offered the job shortly after, and D’Antoni reportedly never got a face-to-face with Jordan.

It remains to be seen whether the Hornets simply circle back to D’Antoni or decide to restart the search. It is believed that former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts, who was a candidate early in the process, might also get a second look.

The post Kenny Atkinson Snubs Hornets in Favor of Warriors Stay appeared first on SportzBonanza.