Report: Mitch Kupchak, president of the Hornets, will step down and become an adviser.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports that Hornets president Mitch Kupchak is leaving his position and joining the organization as an adviser. Before the season ends, the Hornets—who were recently acquired by Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin—are anticipated to appoint a new executive to succeed Kupchak. Kupchak will hold his position until then and then transition into an advisory role.
Kupchak, 69, spent ten years as a player in the league. Out of North Carolina, he was originally drafted by the Washington Bullets in 1976 with the 13th overall choice. Before joining the Los Angeles Lakers in 1981, he played for five seasons there and was the 1977–78 NBA Champion. Having won two titles with the Lakers, he announced his retirement following the 1986 season. He finished each game with an average of 10.2 points and 5.4 rebounds.
Kupchak worked in the Lakers front office for thirty years after retiring, seventeen of those years as general manager. Before moving to Charlotte in 2017, he managed six NBA Finals runs and four NBA titles in Los Angeles. He is currently in his sixth season with the Hornets, who come into their game against the Indiana Pacers on Monday with an 11-41 record.
In August, Michael Jordan paid Schnall and Plotkin $3 billion for the majority stake in the Hornets. Since then, the new owners have begun construction on a new practice facility and renovation of the Spectrum Center. According to Wojnarowski, the Hornets are anticipated to consider a number of current general managers, including Trent Redden of the Clippers, Mike Gansey of Cleveland, Elton Brand of Philadelphia, and Trajan Langdon of New Orleans, as potential successors to Kupchak.