Once again, the Los Angeles Clippers are struggling. And once again, the franchise believes the solution is a new coach.
Ending several weeks of speculation, the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday fired coach Mike Schuler, the organization's sixth coach in 10 years.Schuler will be replaced on an interim basis by assistant Mack Calvin until a new coach is named during the All-Star break, Clippers general manager Elgin Baylor said.
"The level of tension and general uneasiness on the team has progressed over a period of time to the point that our performance on the court has suffered," Baylor said in a statement released by the team Sunday night. "We're not playing up to our capability. It has not been a relaxed, comfortable or enjoyable situation for anyone. For these reasons, we find it necessary to make a coaching change."
"I was very disappointed this occurred, but management decided to make a coaching change so there's not much I can do about it," Schuler told the Los Angeles Times.
In the past two weeks, several local newspapers had reported that Schuler's performance was under scrutiny and that he was in danger of losing his job. Baylor said those reports had nothing to do with the team's problems, but Schuler sounded less sure.
"When you continue to read such speculation, you begin to believe it," Schuler said.
Schuler was hired in May 1990 to replace Don Casey, fired at the instigation of team members. Schuler was 52-75 with the Clippers, including 21-24 this season.
The Clippers haven't made the playoffs since 1976, when the franchise was in Buffalo, and haven't finished with a winning record since 1978-79, when they were the San Diego Clippers.
The firing came the day after the Clippers broke a four-game losing streak with a 99-88 victory over New Jersey. They had lost 10 of 14 previous games.
The team is off until Tuesday, when it plays host to the Dallas Mavericks and plays nine of its 12 February games at home.
An unmistakable sign that Schuler's days were numbered came when the team, which is all black, defied the coach by refusing to practice on Martin Luther King's birthday.
Baylor and team owner Donald Sterling met Thursday, ostensibly to discuss Schuler's status.
The 51-year-old Schuler's contract runs through the end of next season.
"We appreciate Mike's efforts and hard work on behalf of the Clippers' organization and wish him success in his future endeavors," Baylor said.
The troubled organization has been a revolving door for coaches, who in the past 10 years have included Paul Silas, Jim Lynam, Don Chaney, Gene Shue and Casey.
Calvin, 42, joined the Clippers in September after spending four seasons as an assistant coach in Milwaukee. A five-time ABA All-Star, Calvin played for the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers.