The Los Angeles Clippers made an announcement Thursday afternoon that they are replacing Mike Dunleavy as head coach.

With 32 games left, assistant coach Kim Hughes will take over the job for the remainder of the season.

However, Dunleavy will hang on to being the Clippers general manager, as he is under contract until the end of the 2010-2011 season.

In a statement issued by Clippers president Andy Roeser, he said, “It just seems clear that the team needs a fresh voice and we hope the players will respond in a positive way.”

The Clippers, as of Thursday, own the 12th-best W-L record (21-28) in the Western Conference and are seven games shy of a playoff spot.

Dunleavy, who had coached the Clippers for the last seven years, said, “I’ve come to the conclusion that this is the ideal time for me to direct my efforts toward the many personnel opportunities that lie before us, such as the trade market, the Draft and the free agent process. We fully expect to be active and productive on all those fronts.”