HoopsHype.com Rumors

JJ Redick: Huge congrats to Steve Clifford on getting the Charlotte head coaching job! Enjoyed working with him for 5 yrs in Orlando. Great hire. Twitter @JJRedick

Charlotte Bobcats, JJ Redick, Steve Clifford 

Quentin Richardson: Congrats to Coach Steve Clifford on getting hired as Head Coach of the Charlotte Bobcats! Twitter @QRich

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Quentin Richardson, Steve Clifford 

John Ireland: Congrats to Lakers assistant Steve Clifford--new head coach in Charlotte. 1 of the rare guys in sports who everybody likes. Well deserved. Twitter @LAIreland

Charlotte Bobcats, Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Steve Clifford 

Adrian Wojnarowski: Lakers assistant Steve Clifford has reached an agreement in principle to become the Charlotte coach, league sources tell Y! Sports. Twitter @WojYahooNBA

Charlotte Bobcats, Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Steve Clifford 

Mark Medina: Steve Clifford will have 2nd interview with Milwaukee Bucks for head coaching position on Tuesday, said league source Twitter

Milwaukee Bucks, Coaching, Steve Clifford 

The Milwaukee Bucks are bringing back three candidates to interview a second time for the franchise's head coaching job, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. Atlanta Hawks coach Larry Drew, Houston Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson and Los Angeles Lakers assistant Steve Clifford will meet with Bucks officials this week in Milwaukee, sources said. Yahoo! Sports

Milwaukee Bucks, Coaching, Larry Drew, Kelvin Sampson, Steve Clifford 

Clifford will visit Milwaukee again on Tuesday, and Sampson and Drew on Wednesday, league sources said. Bucks general manager John Hammond has a stronger history with Sampson – who spent two years on the Milwaukee staff under Scott Skiles – but has been increasingly impressed with the possibilities with Clifford, sources said. Clifford has come strongly recommended by three former coaching colleagues that Hammond respects – Chicago's Tom Thibodeau and Stan and Jeff Van Gundy. Yahoo! Sports

Milwaukee Bucks, Coaching, Larry Drew, Kelvin Sampson, Steve Clifford 

Charles F. Gardner: A league source confirms #Bucks will hold second interviews with Steve Clifford, Kelvin Sampson and Larry Drew this week. Twitter @cf_gardner

Milwaukee Bucks, Coaching, Larry Drew, Kelvin Sampson, Steve Clifford 

Rick Bonnell: For what it's worth, Lakers assistant Steve Clifford was in earlier in the week, Jazz assistant Jeff Hornacek here now. Twitter @rick_bonnell

Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, Coaching, Jeff Hornacek, Steve Clifford 

Ken Berger: The Bobcats interviewed Jeff Hornaceck today after interviewing Steve Clifford earlier in the week. Next up for Clifford, the Suns. Twitter @KBergCBS

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Jeff Hornacek, Steve Clifford 

The Suns will interview Houston assistant coach J.B. Bickerstaff on Friday and have permission from the Los Angeles Lakers to talk to their assistant, Steve Clifford, a source said in confirming a Yahoo! report. The Suns also expect to interview Utah assistant Jeff Hornacek, an ex-Sun who lives in the Valley, and Quin Snyder, who resigned at Missouri amid an NCAA probation in 2006 and turned to a pro career as a D-League coach, NBA assistant and currently CSKA Moscow’s assistant. Arizona Republic

Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, Coaching, Jeff Hornacek, Quin Snyder, JB Bickerstaff, Steve Clifford 

The Phoenix Suns recently asked and received permission from the Lakers to talk with assistant coach Steve Clifford about their vacant head-coaching position, according to Lakers spokesman John Black. Los Angeles Daily News

Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Steve Clifford 

Houston Rockets assistant coach J.B. Bickerstaff will meet with Suns officials on Friday in Phoenix, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. The Suns have also received permission to interview Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Steve Clifford, sources said. Bickerstaff (Detroit and Milwaukee) and Clifford (Charlotte and Milwaukee) have each interviewed for two other jobs in recent weeks. Yahoo! Sports

Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Coaching, JB Bickerstaff, Steve Clifford 

David Baumann: Stan Van Gundy just told us #Lakers assistant Steve Clifford interviewed in Milwaukee and now will interview in Charlotte today. Twitter @DavidBaumann33

Charlotte Bobcats, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Coaching, Stan Van Gundy, Steve Clifford 

D'Antoni chose not to retain assistant coach Chuck Person, a Howard confidant, on his staff for next season. Also, Lakers assistant coach Steve Clifford, who was with Howard in Orlando for five seasons before both of them came to L.A. last year, has become a hot head coaching candidate, interviewing with Milwaukee and receiving interest from Charlotte. One source described the potential departure of Clifford, coupled with the loss of Person as "removing the buffers," between Howard and D'Antoni, "which is a bad thing." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Free Agency, Chuck Person, Mike D'Antoni, Dwight Howard, Steve Clifford 

Marc Stein: Word is Lakers assistant coach Steve Clifford gets his interview for Bobcats' HC opening Tuesday. CHA interviewed Kelvin Sampson last week Twitter @ESPNSteinLine

Charlotte Bobcats, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Kelvin Sampson, Steve Clifford 

McDonough has yet to set up any formal meetings with candidates, but a league source told Yahoo! Sports that he's been calling for background on coaches including Utah Jazz assistant Jeff Hornacek, Moscow CSKA assistant Quin Snyder, Houston Rockets assistants J.B. Bickerstaff and Kelvin Sampson and Los Angeles Lakers assistant Steve Clifford, among others. Yahoo! Sports

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Kelvin Sampson, Jeff Hornacek, Quin Snyder, Steve Clifford, Ryan McDonough 

Ken Berger: The Bobcats will meet with Lakers assistant Steve Clifford next week, sources say. Twitter @KBergCBS

Charlotte Bobcats, Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Steve Clifford 

Marc Stein: Kelvin Sampson had his long-anticipated interview w/Charlotte today. Next up for Bobcats: Steve Clifford after his interview w/Bucks today Twitter @ESPNSteinLine

Charlotte Bobcats, Milwaukee Bucks, Coaching, Kelvin Sampson, Steve Clifford 

Frank Isola: Lakers assistant Steve Clifford, interviewing for Bucks head coaching job, is being courted by at least two other teams, including Charlotte Twitter @FisolaNYDN

Charlotte Bobcats, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Coaching, Steve Clifford