Phoenix Suns associate head coach Kevin Young was cleared to interview for the Charlotte Hornets’ head-coaching job with Steve Clifford expected to step down after the season, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Fellow assistant coaches Charles Lee (Boston), Jordi Fernandez (Sacramento) and David Adelman (Denver) were also cleared to interview. The job will open after Clifford transitions to a front office role, Wojnarowski reported.
Young has been viewed as the Suns’ offensive coordinator of sorts, serving as the lone holdover from Monty Williams’ staff. Over the summer, Young was a candidate for the head-coaching job when Phoenix was replacing Williams before Frank Vogel was hired.
When Young was retained, he was made the league’s highest-paid assistant, reportedly making $2 million.
The Suns’ offensive rating this season sits at 117.3, good for ninth in the NBA. The team’s 116.8 points per game is good for 10th-best.
