The Charlotte Hornets are hiring Brooklyn Nets assistant general manager Jeff Peterson as the team’s next head of basketball operations, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Peterson, 35, has been in the Nets’ front office since 2019. Before that, he served a variety of front-office roles with the Atlanta Hawks.
As a college player, Peterson was a point guard with Iowa, Arkansas and Florida State from 2007-12. He has been the right-hand man to Nets GM Sean Marks and just recently emerged as a strong candidate for a new title and pay raise in Brooklyn.
The Hornets have been looking for a new president of basketball operations since Mitch Kupchak into an advisory role earlier this month. Kupchak is not expected to remain with the franchise beyond this season.
Other reported candidates for the vacancy included New Orleans Pelicans GM Trajan Langdon and Minnesota Timberwolves executive Matt Lloyd. Charlotte reportedly interviewed 12 candidates in all.
“Charlotte’s ownership is convinced of Peterson’s ability to be a long-term leader for the organization and deliver it the kind of player personnel acumen, relationships and deal-making ability with rival executives, player agents and players necessary to transform the Hornets into a formidable franchise,” Wojnarowski wrote.
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