Kupchak led the Lakers to four championships, but gradually fell out of favor with the front officeNBAE/Getty Images
The Hornets have "formally offered" their vacant GM position to former Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak, according to sources cited by Marc Stein of the N.Y. TIMES. Sources said that the team is "confident they will soon seal a new contract with Kupchak to take over their basketball operations and are progressing toward a deal." Kupchak "quickly emerged as the favorite" after the Hornets announced in late February that Rich Cho, who was in the final year of his contract, would "not be retained." The Lakers won four championships with Kupchak in charge, but he "gradually fell out of favor" with President Jeanie Buss after the team's "steady decline in recent seasons" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/3). In Charlotte, Rick Bonnell cites a source as saying that it is "pretty much down to paperwork" getting Kupchak on board. Cho was "great with numbers, not as good with people." Part of a GM's job is to "evaluate the roster and identify ways to improve." That job is "also about networking." The Hornets made a number of trades under Cho's watch, but his engineering background "seemed more fitting to his personality than being a wheeler dealer." Meanwhile, Kupchak will be on the phone "constantly in this role, and there is much digging-out to do." Kupchak's "first priority must be some sort of unwinding, and that will be painful." It is important whoever gets this job has the "confidence" of Hornets Owner Michael Jordan and Vice Chair Curtis Polk, as well as "some level of autonomy." Bonnell: "Hopefully, the fact that Jordan has known Kupchak for so long makes for a frank business relationship" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 4/3).
CHANGE OF SCENERY: CBSSPORTS.com's Chris Barnewall wrote it will be "interesting to see" how Kupchak does in a "different environment like Charlotte." The stakes are the "same as any other NBA job, but the Hornets aren't exactly known for bringing in huge names." Kupchak with the Lakers had "built up a nice young core of players" that the team "could build with as assets or future pieces." He "might get another chance to do something like that with the Hornets, if they give him the time" (CBSSPORTS.com, 4/2).
