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Days after the trade deadline, the Charlotte Hornets are making some big changes in their front office. News emerged Monday morning that longtime GM Mitch Kupchak is moving into an advisory role with the organization.
Charlotte made a flurry of moves at the deadline, most notably trading Gordon Hayward to the OKC Thunder. Another big trade they made came a few weeks back when Terry Rozier was moved to the Miami Heat for Kyle Lowry.
The Hornets currently find themselves with one of the worst records in the Eastern Conference at 11-14. However, the franchise does have a pair of building blocks in LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.
Reports have surfaced that the team plans to hire a new GM before the regular season comes to a close. As they begin their search, here are some candidates that are worth keeping an eye on.
Potential candidates for Charlotte Hornets' GM job:
1) Elton Brand
Kicking off this list is a former player now turned front office member, Elton Brand. Since his playing career ended in 2016, the former All-Star forward has worked his way into a major role within the Philadelphia 76ers' organization.
At one point, Brand was making the major personnel decisions for the Sixers. That changed a few years back when Daryl Morey was hired to be President of Basketball Operations. With him calling the shots now, it could lead to Brand seeking out a new opportunity.
2) Jeff Peterson
Another name to watch for the Hornets' GM vacancy is Jeff Peterson. He is currently with the Brooklyn Nets, serving as an assistant to Sean Marks. Peterson will likely be one of the top candidates as he was linked to the team's front office over the summer.
Before joining the Nets organization, Peterson also spent five years working in the Atlanta Hawks' front office.
3) Trajan Langdon
Traja Langdon had a brief NBA career before spending most of playing days overseas. However, he's managed to climb the ranks in the league since retiring.
Langdon first broke in as a scout for the San Antonio Spurs. Since then, he's worked his way up to being Vice President of Basketball Operations for the New Orleans Pelicans. Seeing that New Orleans has managed to stack up an abundance of young talent, he is an interesting name for a team like the Hornets.
4) Mike Gansey
Mike Gansey had a short playing career overseas, and has since worked his way into a front office role. Currently, he is the general manager for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Before taking this job, Gansey was a GM in the G-League for a handful of years.
In recent years, the Cavs have quickly climbed up the ranks in the Eastern Conference. Along with drafting promising talents like Darius Garland and Evan Mobley, they made big splashes such as the Donovan Mitchell trade. Based on his recent track record, the Hornets should view Gansey as an executive who could turn things around for them.
5) Mike Zarren
Typically, teams try to bring in talent from other successful franchises to help aid them. The Hornets could go this route by looking at Mike Zarren. He is currently with the Boston Celtics, where he serves as their Vice President of Basketball Operations.
Along with having watched a contender be built from the ground up, Zarren is known for his knowledge of analytics. Having a fresh young mind in their front office could do well for Charlotte as they look to re-tool around Ball and Miller.
