By all accounts, the Hornets made a strong choice in reportedly deciding on Nets executive Jeff Peterson to run their front office, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.
One source who has spent plenty of time around Peterson called it a “great, great get” for the Hornets, while a high-ranking executive who previously worked with Peterson referred to him as “incredibly intelligent and super genuine,” Boone reports.
Peterson will have many items on his to-do list in the coming weeks and months once he’s officially hired, according to Boone, who points to head coach Steve Clifford‘s future as one major decision awaiting the new head of basketball operations. The Hornets don’t owe Clifford any additional guaranteed money, Boone writes, so if they decide not to retain him beyond the season, they could simply turn down his team option for 2024/25.
Peterson will also face an important free agency decision this summer on Miles Bridges, who has picked up where he left off on the court this season but has been the subject of multiple domestic violence accusations in the past two years. His most recent legal case was dismissed last month. Multiple league sources tell Boone that Charlotte could face competition from the Pistons for the former Michigan State forward.
In the shorter term, Peterson may look to start filling out his new front office. According to Boone, one candidate for a possible assistant general manager role is Matt Tellem, Brooklyn’s director of strategic planning and an assistant GM for the G League’s Long Island Nets. Tellem is considered a salary cap expert, says Boone.
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Although the Pistons envision trade-deadline acquisitions Quentin Grimes and Simone Fontecchio as key pieces of next season’s team, they plan to bring both wings off the bench for now and take a look at five of their recent first-round picks as starters, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). Healthy and back from his three-game suspension, Isaiah Stewart will continue to be part of Detroit’s starting five alongside Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, and Jalen Duren for the foreseeable future, barring injuries. The hope is that Stewart’s defense will make up for the first unit having less spacing, Sankofa explains.
- Hawks guard Dejounte Murray has locked in a $500K bonus on top of his base salary this season after making his 125th three-pointer of the season on Saturday, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. The bonus had been deemed likely and already counted against Murray’s $18.2MM cap hit because he earning that incentive last season by making 133 threes.
- Raptors star Scottie Barnes is out indefinitely after fracturing his hand on Friday and may have played his last game of the 2023/24 season. However, Warriors forward Draymond Green believes Barnes is capable of great things next year and beyond, as Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca relays. “Scottie is an incredible player,” Green said on Friday. “… Me playing the point forward position, I’m not going to sit up here and act like I was the first one to ever do it, but I think I’ve done it a little differently than most. And he’ll take that to another level. … I think Scottie will do way more than I ever did.”
- Barnes’ injury was unfortunately timed, given that the new-look Raptors were beginning to show some promise, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca, who explores what the All-Star’s absence means for the team going forward.
I like Scottie Barnes …. However, he is a great example of the type of “superstar” that rule changes created. Lack of league-wide regular season defense gets him gaudy numbers, at a young age. A modern day Scottie Pippen, without the wins. However, had he played in Scottie Pippen’s era, where defense was actually played, he would just be entering the league as a rookie, and most likely finding his role off the bench while he matures. We ain’t talking about no 90’s era superstar here. Just a shame the way the game has been destroyed. Yes, part of the rule changes were to take physicality out of the game. It wasn’t just for offense, they wanted the league to get much younger. Again, appealing to the younger demographic, who most identifies with people their own age. Had to get rid of the physical play to allow young players, who’s bodies are not mature, to be able to exist. Wouldn’t be able to happen with the post play and bigs of old. Trae Young wouldn’t be driving the lane. None of these “babies” would be able to handle the physical play of old. Which is why they got rid of it. Disgusting how the game has been destroyed all for $$$$$ potential.
Are those darn kids hitting the tennis ball in your yard again ?
If Jeff Peterson is such a “great, great, get” for Charlotte to have running their basketball operations …… Why is Brooklyn so bad????
Brooklyn is bad because they have ownership who refuses to do the smart thing and rebuild. They should have taken the trade offer with the Rockets for Bridges. Thats not saying Peterson is any good. With every hire you hear good things right after. No one would right a story going “yeah, this guy sucks it took him half a season to learn what a rebound is.”
Barnes can take comfort in the fact that, by not playing, his 3 pt % won’t completely revert to what it was the past 2 seasons.
Barnes isn’t the easiest guy to build around, but now with Siakam gone he can slot into a more natural role. He is more talented than Green, but the latter assumed the identity and role of “big” relatively early in his career and developed his game around that. Barnes, by all accounts, still sees himself as a perimeter player. He’s skilled enough to play there, but it will be limiting to him and his team.
Scottie Barnes is not anything close to prime Draymond Green. Not in same area code son! Prime Draymond elevated the play of EVERYBODY BOTH ends of the floor. Scottie only produces stats for Scottie. Teammates are only there to add to his assist total. He does not elevate the play of anybody else. Let’s not talk about defense.
He isn’t. My point is that any chance he has to be real star is dependent upon him developing his game along the same lines, as a playmaking PF on offense and a versitile defender/rebounder on defense. I think he has the physical tools to do that. I don’t think he has the physical tools to be a star on the wing.