Counting 'em Down: For better or for worse, this is the Headline Surfer countdown of the 2021's Top 100 biggest news stories of Central Florida along the tourism-driven stretch of Interstate 4 (Orlando Attractions and east to I-95 & the World's Most Famous Beach in Daytona). Each recap segment is posted with its own headline, culminating with the unveiling of No. 1 on New Year's Day or shortly thereafter. Then Headline Surfer will post a Top 10 forecast story of the good, the bad & the ugly on the horizon in "2022: The Year That Lies Ahead."
By SERA KING / Headline Surfer
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The rebuild of the Orlando Magic continued with early June's departure of head coach Steve Clifford described as a mutually-agreed-upon decision, according to Jeff Weltman, president of basketball operations.
“We would like to thank Steve for his contributions to the Orlando Magic,” Weltman said. “We appreciate the many sacrifices he has made as our head coach and understand the timeline of our new path does not align with his goals as a head coach in our league.”
Clifford, in return, issued the following prepared statement: “I would like to thank the DeVos family, Magic leadership, and the entire staff, and certainly wish everyone well. It’s been an honor and privilege to coach this team in this community.”
Steve Clifford (shown here from an earlier press conference in the NBA Bubble at Disney), in return, issued the following prepared stattement: “I would like to thank the DeVos family, Magic leadership and the entire staff, and certainly wish everyone well. It’s been an honor and privilege to coach this team in this community.”
Clifford was named the Magic’s 14th head coach on May 30, 2018. During his three seasons in Orlando, the Magic had a 96-131 record with two playoff appearances. In his eight seasons coaching Charlotte and Orlando, Clifford was 292-345.
According to the Magic, Clifford in his first season with Orlando guided the team to a 42-40 record (.512) and a 17-win improvement, which was the largest turnaround in the NBA and the second-biggest improvement in franchise history. The Magic clinched a berth to the 2019 NBA Playoffs for the first time since 2012 and captured the Southeast Division title, the franchise’s first since 2009-’10.
But the team's fortunes were short-lived by the third season with Clifford at the helm, going 96-131 with the franchise and making the playoffs twice during his tenure. He had one full season remaining on the four-year contract he signed in 2018.
The Magic finished the 2020-21 season at 21-51, the league's third-worst record and last in the Southeast Division. Orlando started the season 5-2 before star guard Markelle Fultz tore his ACL in January and missed the remainder of the season.
The team also dealt with injuries to forward Jonathan Isaac and others throughout the season. During the NBA trade deadline in March, Orlando traded All-Star center Nikola Vučević, Evan Fournier, and Aaron Gordon in exchange for two first-round picks from the Chicago Bulls and one first-round pick from the Denver Nuggets.
In Orlando, Vučević was averaging 24.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game, shooting 40.6% from the three-point range.
Editor's Note: The trades of Vučević, Fournier, and Gordon will be highlighted later in this countdown.
About the Byline Writer: Sera King is associate publisher of Headline Surfer, the award-winning 24/7 internet news outlet in Lake Mary, FL serving greater Orlando, Sanford, and Daytona Beach via HeadlineSurfer.com since 2008. She's also a byline writer (business, community & sports features), a videographer, and a cartoonist for the media outlet. King received her bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the Metro Orlando Campus of Ana G. Mendez University in 2008. Headline Surfer is published by Henry Frederick, Central Florida's award-winning journalist.