The aim of the new general manager of the Charlotte Hornets is to establish the team as the NBA’s “premier franchise.” Okay, so…
Together with co-owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin, Peterson laid forth a vision as lofty as Mount Everest. They made it clear time and time again that they wanted to take this NBA franchise to new heights.
And that is a commendable goal. Peterson, however, will appreciate my skepticism because he is from Missouri, the Show-Me State. All of that is well said. I’ll need to see it, though. Additionally, you will need to display the Hornets’ loyal yet disgruntled fan base, who are currently suffering through a 15-47 record.
Setting the tone early on, Peterson said, “Rick and Gabe have made it very apparent that our goal is to make this the best club in the NBA. And we really want to accomplish that.Of course, anyone taking over a team like this needs to have hope for the future. That makes complete sense.Let’s be realistic, though.
It is the worst skid in the league for the Hornets to have missed the NBA playoffs since 2016. Both the NBA and Eastern Conference Finals have eluded them, and they have never taken home an NBA championship. Although Alonzo Mourning’s 1993 shot is the most well-known in franchise history, it does not bode well for the next 31 years.
I would currently accept “relevant franchise.” For heaven’s sake, make the playoffs. It’s not a very high standard; 16 NBA teams (53.3%) qualify for the playoffs annually. Over the past eight years, the Hornets’ pinnacle achievement has been a few trips to the play-in round, where they successfully deposited an ostrich egg. Twice.
Peterson referred to the next 20 games of the season as an evaluation period, remaining evasive throughout the press conference. His connections with Schnall from the Atlanta Hawks likely aided him in obtaining this role. At just 35 years old, he has risen fast through the NBA head office ranks.
The formal title of Peterson is “executive vice president of basketball operations,” but I’ll just call him the new general manager to save time. He serves as both the team’s general manager and director of basketball operations, while Schnall and Plotnik are still involved in personnel decisions (much like Panthers owner David Tepper, though Tepper is subject to significantly more criticism).
At a press conference that drew roughly a hundred people, the majority of them Hornets employees, Peterson could have said something along the lines of, “Yeah, we’ll probably turn over at least half this roster in the offseason, because it’s just not getting the job done,” but he decided against it.
Without a doubt, though, even with the trades that provided a boost in February, this team still needs extensive repairs.
A fantastic player who struggles to stay in shape is LaMelo Ball. Mark Williams is a talented player who has trouble staying healthy. In my view, Charlotte’s most valuable player for the 2023โ24 campaign is Brandon Miller, an exceptional rookie.
Miles Bridges will cost a lot of money to remain, so Peterson will have to choose if he’s worth it. As he was hired to do, head coach Steve Clifford has not yet turned the Hornets into a formidable defensive squad in his second season in the position.
Everyone in the building needs to stop using the same “But our guys are always hurt” justification. Decisions need to be made everywhere.
I have to admit that Peterson gives off a positive initial impression. He was a basketball player in college and seems to get along with most people. Part of his admiration for the Charlotte Hornets’ colors stemmed from his days of playing video games with the squad. Florida State awarded him a master’s degree.
Why the Hornets hired him is clear to me. However, a general manager is more concerned with winning than with losing. “Premier franchise?” Yes, that sounds really good.