Hornets announce Nets exec as next VP of operations

CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte Hornets have hired a Brooklyn Nets executive as the next executive vice president of basketball operations.

In a news release, the Hornets said Jeff Peterson is stepping into the role. The news was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The news comes after former General Manager Mitch Kupchak moving into a new role as an advisor for the organization. Kupchak spent six seasons as president of basketball operations and general manager of the Charlotte NBA team.

Kupchak is staying in his role until his successor is officially hired by the team’s new owners, Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin.

According to Wojnarowski, Peterson worked with Schnall previously as part of the Atlanta Hawks organization. Peterson also worked with Hornets coach Steve Clifford when Clifford was a coaching consultant for the Nets during the 2021 to 2022 season.

Peterson became an assistant general manager with the Nets in 2019 and was on staff when Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving joined the team, the Hornets said.

Recently, the Hornets announced plans for a practice facility in a gravel parking lot between the Spectrum Center and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department headquarters in Uptown.

The city said the new practice facility will be bigger and more expensive than previously estimated. Charlotte City Council already promised $60 million for the project. The Hornets are asking for $30 million of that to go into the planned Spectrum Center renovations instead.

The Hornets traded forward P.J. Washington to the Dallas Mavericks for forward Grant Williams, guard Seth Curry, and a first-round draft pick.

Forward Miles Bridges, who reportedly would not approve any trades out of Charlotte, will finish out the rest of his one-year deal with the Hornets and hit free agency.

Meanwhile, ESPN first reported the Hornets traded forward Gordon Hayward to the Oklahoma City Thunder for guard Tre Mann and forward Davis Bertans. Another big name, Terry Rozier, was already traded to Miami two weeks before the deadline.

(WATCH BELOW: Change of plans for Hornets practice facility)

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