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Hornets reportedly hire Jeff Peterson away from Nets to be new head of basketball operations

liz roscher
Staff writer
·2 min read
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CHARLOTTE, NC - OCTOBER 17: A detailed view of the original logo of the Charlotte Hornets on display on the court ahead of opening night against the Milwaukee Bucks at Spectrum Center on October 17, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
The Charlotte Hornets have hired Jeff Peterson to be their new head of basketball operations. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

The Charlotte Hornets are hiring one of the NBA's rising young executives to a key position, as part of their continuing effort to revitalize the struggling franchise.

Jeff Peterson, assistant general manager of the Brooklyn Nets, is expected to be hired by the Hornets to be their new head of basketball operations, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Peterson is a basketball lifer, even at just 35 years old. He played for Iowa, Arkansas and Florida State in college, and landed his first NBA job with the Atlanta Hawks in 2013. He stayed with the Hawks until 2019, making his way up the ladder from scout to director of scouting then to assistant general manager by 2016. He joined the Nets as assistant general manager in 2019, playing a part in attracting Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden.

Peterson and the Hornets had been connected since July 2023, when Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer reported that Peterson, a rising star among NBA executives, had been seen as a good fit in Charlotte.

Brooklyn assistant general manager Jeff Peterson has emerged as one of the most respected young executives in the NBA. Peterson is hailed for his authenticity, particularly in his ability to communicate up and down the organizational chart. In 2020, Peterson interviewed for the Pistons’ general manager opening. And with a new ownership structure in Charlotte, should the Hornets ultimately move on from Mitch Kupchak after the final year of his contract, Peterson has become widely linked by league personnel as a possible next lead executive in Charlotte.

The hiring of Peterson is just the latest move new team owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin have done to revitalize the Hornets, a team that's struggled with both a lack of talent and a lack of interest. They purchased a majority share in the team from Michael Jordan in Aug. 2023 for a cool $3 billion.