Charlotte Hornets announce Mitch Kupchak as new Hornets' GM & President
What's the story?
Mitch Kupchak has been named the president and general manager of the Charlotte Hornets.
In case you didn't know...
Mitch Kupchak played ten NBA seasons in Washington and Los Angeles, winning three titles as a player. He won four championships as GM, including the second two titles (2009,2010) after he made a franchise-changing trade with the Memphis Grizzlies for Pau Gasol.
The heart of the matter...
Charlotte Hornets’ owner Michael Jordan had been looking for a new GM to replace ex-GM Rich Cho whose contract was not renewed. His clear focus had been Mitch Kupchak. The Hornets announced on Sunday that Mitch Kupchak has been named the president and general manager of the Hornets.
"I'm excited to join the Hornets organization, and I want to thank Michael for this opportunity," Kupchak said in a statement. "I am well aware of the passion for basketball in Charlotte and throughout the entire state of North Carolina, and I am confident that we can build the Hornets into a successful team that our great fans can be proud of."
According to league sources, Kupchak will hold onto the current assistant GM Buzz Peterson in the front-office role and ultimately make some personal changes to the management and scouting structure.
Jordan and Kupchak both played for the University of North Carolina and late coach Dean Smith due to which they have a have a long outstanding relationship. "In every role and in every stop during his tenure in the NBA, Mitch Kupchak has brought the highest levels of success to his teams. He's a proven winner," Jordan said in a statement.
What's next?
The Charlotte Hornets are at the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference Table and therefore Kupchak will have work cut out as he will be inheriting a capped-out roster that will miss the playoffs for a second consecutive year.
Author's take
The Hornets haven’t been able to achieve much In the past few years. An experienced and accomplished GM like Kupchak might just be the change Jordan and the Hornets were looking for.