Brooklyn Nets executive Jeff Peterson has accepted the Charlotte Hornets’ vacant head of basketball operations job, replacing Mitch Kupchak after his decision to step down from the role. At 35, Peterson is the youngest lead front office executive in the NBA. Hornets owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin vetted through 12 candidates and decided to give a younger option a chance to rebuild a young roster.
Why going with a younger option could pan out
The concern with Mitch Kupchak leading basketball operations was that his ways of building rosters were outdated. Reaching for veteran players through free agency raised a lot of eyebrows since the team was trying to identify who they were and what direction they were trying to go. Being a fringe play-in tournament team wasn’t the goal, but that was the ceiling with the veterans on the roster. With Peterson, the assumption will be to put the right pieces on the team around the cornerstones already in place.
LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Mark Williams were deemed as untouchables before Peterson stepped into the building. The plan moving forward will be to get more guys around them that make sense via NBA Draft to find more young guys to fit. Free agency targets are important, but maybe he won’t overpay for mid-tier veterans. Peterson is the age of an NBA vet himself, so maybe he can relate better with the current crop of players.
The Hornets job will have its challenges
Building a roster isn’t easy. Having someone as young as Jeff Peterson taking on those responsibilities might not breathe optimism into the rest of the organization. Plus, how patient will ownership be with someone trying to find their footing in the league? It’s going to take some time and a little bit of luck to land the right pieces. Charlotte is going to have to trust the process with this hire.
Ultimately, it seems like a great idea. There isn’t an expectation to win now or in the next couple of years. The main task for Peterson is to maximize the potential generational talents in place. Getting a young mind around young players is a hand-in-glove fit. The best similarity to have in any job, especially team building, is relatability. Being able to hold free agency meetings, pre-draft workout meetings, or sitting with current players on the roster should be a cinch for him.
Peterson’s youth could be his best asset in a role dominated by guys who are 50-plus years old. The Hornets have functioned like a well-oiled machine since the trade deadline. Hopefully, that continues heading into the offseason with a new man in charge.
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