NBA President of Basketball Operations ROD THORN, who is on his second stint in the position, "plans to leave the league office and retire in August," according to sources cited by Adrian Wojnarowski of YAHOO SPORTS. Thorn, 73, returned to the league office in August '13 to "oversee the league's daily operations" under Commissioner ADAM SILVER. Sources said that the appointment "had been planned to be a two-year bridge to a longer-term successor, and NBA Senior VP/Basketball Operations KIKI VANDEWEGHE "is a strong candidate to be promoted to take Thorn's job." Wojnarowski noted Thorn "had three stops" as an NBA GM and was named the NBA’s Exec of the Year in '01-02 while with the Nets. Thorn "had run the league's operations" under then-Commissioner DAVID STERN for 14 years before joining the Nets in '00 (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 4/13). Thorn said, "When I came back it was just for a transition-type period anyway. When I came back I said I would stay for two years and two years is up in August, so that'll be it." Thorn yesterday said that he "has no plans to work for a team again, at least on a full-time basis." Thorn: "I've been around a long time, been incredibly fortunate to have been around as long as I have, and it's time for somebody else" (AP, 4/13).
