Steve Clifford, a Maine native who grew up in Mattawamkeag, has been dismissed as head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, the team said Friday.

The move comes after Mitch Kupchak, recently hired as Charlotte's new President and General Manager, was given carte blanche by owner Michael Jordan to reshape the team's coaching staff and basketball operations.

Clifford, who coached the Hornets for the past five seasons, finished with a 196-214 regular-season record. Charlotte went 36-46 in each of the past two seasons.

The 56-year-old Clifford will be considered for other head coaching vacancies in the NBA. The growing list of teams searching for its next head coach includes Orlando, New York, Phoenix, Milwaukee and Memphis.

Clifford played basketball at the University of Maine at Farmington from 1979–1983 and coached at Woodland High School for two years during the 1980s.

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