Hornets president of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak will leave his post to become an organizational advisor to the franchise, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
The search for a replacement will begin immediately, and new owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin are expected to hire someone before the end of the regular season, Wojnarowski adds. Sources tell ESPN that Kupchak will continue his current duties until his successor is named.
Wojnarowski hears that several current general managers will be among the targets of the search, including the Sixers’ Elton Brand, the Pelicans’ Trajan Langdon, the Cavaliers’ Mike Gansey and the Clippers’ Trent Redden. Sources tell Woj that some assistant GMs will be considered too, such as the Nets’ Jeff Peterson, the Wizards’ Travis Schlenk and the Kings’ Wes Wilcox, all of whom worked for the Hawks when Schnall was a minority owner in Atlanta.
Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer also lists Bucks assistant GM Milt Newton and Knicks assistant GM Frank Zanin as potential candidates.
Schnall and Plotkin began plotting a new course after purchasing a majority interest in the Hornets in August, Wojnarowski states. They are focused on rebuilding around a young roster as the team parted with veterans such as Terry Rozier and P.J. Washington in recent trades. Plans are also in the works for a $275MM arena renovation and a $60MM practice facility.
Kupchak will leave behind a mixed record during his time with the Hornets, Boone observes. He was able to fix the cap situation and make the team competitive after taking over as general manager in 2018, but his signature move — the signing of Gordon Hayward to a four-year, $120MM contract in 2020 despite a history of injuries — didn’t pay off as Kupchak had hoped. Hayward was traded this week to Oklahoma City for a modest return.
Drafting LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller may leave the Hornets with a brighter future, but Boone notes that Kupchak had his share of draft misses, including in 2021 when Charlotte selected James Bouknight, Kai Jones and Scottie Lewis, who are no longer with the team.
That is another way of saying, “You’ve been demoted”.
Or…
We like you, we just don’t like you making decisions.
Finally we begin to plan for next year and the future.
Omg, finally. Not a Hornets fan, but man, this guy didn’t really do much to make this team a winner, just extend its years of being bad! This guy fired Clifford, who isn’t that great of a coach seeing as his teams have sucked, only to hire him back a few years later. And I think everyone has forgotten that he drafted Shai, only to trade him for Miles “woman beater” Bridges.
Hopefully the next hire can build a winner around LaMelo and Miller!
Why in all sports, do you see GMs and PoBO get fired or demoted directly after a draft or trade deadline? You let a person make huge decisions about the future of your franchise and then let him go? I don’t understand it
Because all the heavy lifting is done now. They probably knew he was gone beforehand and wanted to hire an outside guy. You can’t do that in season because the new guy doesn’t know the org. Happens a lot in sports because all the work has been done. Ownership probably had to sign off on the moves and I’m sure the agms had more input as well. It’s not like they operate solo
Hornets should go after Brent Barry aggressively. No matter who they hire to replace Kupchak they should also go after Melton/KCP/GTrentJr (in that order) aggressively as well this off-season. If Melton or KCP agree to a 3yr $54-60M type deal, Bridges re-signs for something like 4yr $115-125M & they can grab 1 of the lanky/versatile/talented Euros at the top of the draft (Alex Sarr, KyShawn George, Zac Risacher) they’ll have a nice squad that should be able to compete for yrs to come… Melo/Melton/BMiller/Miles/MWilliams w/ Micic, Mann, Ky George, GWilliams, NRichards & more in reserve
Melton has a back injury. KCP is not going from a contender to Charlotte.
Bridges is not re-signing. He is getting sign & traded.
Hornets will def check out Melton before signing him. Unless he makes it worse when he comes back in a week or so, I’m guessing he’ll be good long term… KCP would def leave a contender to get the biggest contract of his career that would take him thru his age 34 season… Hornets (basically) stood by Bridges when he was in limbo, more importantly they have his Bird rights. Only Detroit is really a threat to sign Miles & I sorta doubt they would value Miles as highly as Charlotte does
You just keep trying to be the guy who knows something that everyone else doesn’t and the result is that you just embarrass yourself.
“Melo/Melton/BMiller/Miles/MWilliams w/ Micic, Mann, Ky George, GWilliams, NRichards” they’ll have a nice squad that should be able to compete for yrs to come”
That garbage of a team could barely sniff a play-in, the 9-10 position, if you call that compete…Is the same thing that a lot of people was saying about Detroit before the season “super talented young squad” and here they are
Scottie Lewis was 52nd pick he’s not a draft Miss..
Imagine using a 56th pick who broke his leg (Scottie Lewis) as part of your argument and thinking you made a good one. Could have just left it at Bouknight and Jones.
Curious, how by that same standard Boone left out Mark Williams (15th), P.J. Washington (12th), Cody Martin (36th) , and Jalen McDaniels (52nd) as draft hits.
Ultimately, he did nothing to advance the progress of the Hornets. None of his moves have even made them a fringe contender. He never compiled any assets, and they just have an injury prone Ball, questionable characters Bridges and Miller. The man let the next MJ walk away (Kai).
Seeing how Jordan was outright awful, I think Mitch did well. Come back to the lakers bro.
Simply the worst GM in the history of the NBA. Absolutely clueless I wonder how he was employed until now. A disaster with the Lakers (Mozgov contract says it all) and at Charlotte he took forever to blow this team up when they have some value and now that he did he basically got peanuts and the franchise, the worst in all major sports is completely hopeless right now, no future.
But wait, now they´re looking to replacv him with elton brand…. jeez
Kupchak draft record with CHA overall was pretty good. I’d certainly take him over the prior FOCs in CHA. The only bad FRP I can remember Kupchak making in his 6 drafts (I believe that’s all) is Bouknight (and, that was a REAL bad one, because if I knew he was a DO NOT DRAFT guy, then certainly any NBA FO could have easily found out). Jones, a late afterthought pick, didn’t pan out (that’s different than a bad pick when made). Nobody cares about SRPs not being on a roster. I think there is a good possibility that his 2023 draft may push his CHA draft record to very good. While Miller was a top 3 in all scripts, most had Scoot ahead of Miller, so there was some judgement involved. He also, off script, picked up Nick Smith later in the first round.
In CHA, he hasn’t distinguished himself in free agency or in trades. But lots of teams wanted to sign Hayward (IND and NYK among them). He offered a far bigger contract, so what? Its CHA, his backup choice. IND purportedly offered BOS both Turner and a 1st for Hayward in a S&T. Even at a lower salary, that IND deal for Hayward would look far worse than CHA’s mere FA signing of him. He at least didn’t give Kemba a max deal, but flipped him for Rozier, and has now Rozier for a FRP. He got a (near unprotected) FRP from DAL for one of his draftees, after re-upping him.
I’m not saying he’s great or anything. But don’t turn him into Isiah Thomas. A little more luck (injuries, other absences, ping pong balls) and CHA might be considered a success story.
2018 Draft C. Moves SGA, ends up with Bridges.
2019 Draft B. PJ Washington.
2020 Draft A. Melo
2021 Draft F-. Bouknight, traded a FRP for Kai Jones.
2022 Draft C-. Traded Duren, kept Mark William’s.
2023 Draft B. Miller, Smith
So yea not terrible draft classes. Only going to have 2 of those guys after this offseason tho.
Why would Melo, Smith, Miller and Williams not all be on the team? Bridges, also, is as likely to be there as anywhere else. Bridges was headed for a near max extension before last season if he had just played basketball. If he did, and continued to ascend, then with a healthy Melo, Williams and the rookies that’s as good a young group of 5 as there is. Much better than not terrrible.
Unless their current teams no longer want them or their contracts are up, why would a current GM of any team want to leave for the same position with Charlotte?
Is there actually hope (or something more real..) for the franchise to become relevant?
Don’t worry you have role model Miles Bridges still
Since 2011 the Hornets have had 13 lottery picks. And have been in the playoffs twice in that span. And lost both times in first rd.
Kupchak sucks. How does he still have a job.
link to basketball-reference.com
He’s horrendous. How he landed the Charlotte job after what he did previously is mind blowing.