Hornets head coach Steve Clifford taking leave

The Charlotte Hornets will be without head coach Steve Clifford for awhile, as he’s taking a leave of absence.

On Wednesday morning, the Charlotte Hornets announced head coach Steve Clifford will be taking a leave of absence “for the immediate future” in order to address his health. Associate head coach Stephen Silas will take over as interim head coach in Clifford’s absence.

There is no timetable for Clifford to return to the team, and no details about what he may be dealing with were released by the team out of respect for his privacy. He missed Monday night’s game against the Orlando Magic due to what was publicly announced to be an illness, with Silas moving down the bench as head coach for that game as well.

Clifford is in his fifth season as Hornets’ head coach, with a 169-181 record and two playoff appearances (9-13 record so far this season).

Silas has been an assistant for the Hornets since 2010, which pre-dates Clifford’s tenure as head coach. Beyond that, he’s been an assistant coach in the league almost steadily since 2000, save for his time as a scout for the Washington Wizards. That coaching resume includes stints under his father Paul with the Hornets (2000-2003, 2010-2013) and Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-2005), as well as time as an assistant with the Golden State Warriors (2006-2010).

The grind of coaching during a season can be hazardous to someone’s health, with early mornings, practices to plan and run, travel, late nights and potentially poor eating habits combining to invite issues. So the 56-year old Clifford may be dealing with an illness and a relatively short absence, or something more severe than that vague term that will never be fully known.

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An indefinite timetable to return invites speculation about Clifford’s health, and his status going forward. But the Hornets can’t be blamed for not offering specific details at this point.