HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors

Bobcats going in new direction with Cho hire

With a little over a week remaining before the 2011 draft, which will be a pivotal event in Charlotte’s rebuilding project, the Bobcats announced they have hired former Portland Trail Blazers general manager Richard Cho to the same role in their front office.

Rod Higgins, who served as the Bobcats GM since 2007, was promoted to president of basketball operations.

“He has a unique set of skills that I don’t possess,” Higgins told the Charlotte Observer. “His analytical mind is a big plus for us. His legal background is a big plus for us.”

Cho has a law degree from Pepperdine and it is being reported he will assist Higgins in all basketball related decisions and manage the team’s salary cap.

Cho, 45, was fired by the Blazers three weeks ago after serving less than a year in the position due to chemistry problems with the organization. Back in February he negotiated a deal with the Bobcats that landed former All-Star forward Gerald Wallace in Portland and subsequently began Charlotte’s rebuilding process.

The Blazers finished sixth in the tough Western Conference this season compiling a 48-34 record despite a rash of injuries. The team was eliminated from the postseason in the first round by the 2011 NBA champion Dallas Mavericks. 

Bobcats owner and retired NBA legend Michael Jordan has taken sharp criticism in the past in part because of the front office executives he’s entrusted to call the shots for the franchise.

The common perception has been that Jordan, who has had the final say on all basketball decisions since 2006, surrounded himself with friends in his management circle. Higgins was a former teammate during his playing career and team president Fred Whitfield has been a long-time friend.

But the hiring of Cho is a break from the norm for the Bobcats who slumped to a woeful 34-48 mark this past season after reaching the playoffs for the first time in team history in 2010.

Higgins also acknowledged Cho’s presence in the team’s operations structure will be a change of pace.

“I’m a traditional basketball guy, and Rich is a very untraditional addition to our operation here,” Higgins continued.

Cho, the first Asian-American general manager in major-league sports, also embraced his unique approach to decision making.

“As an engineer and an attorney, you develop a problem-solving approach on a lot of issues and you learn to think more analytically,” Cho told the Charlotte Observer. “I think the best conversations in this business happen when you’re determined to get something done, whether it’s trying to make a trade or working with a player’s agent. It’s really helpful to put yourself in the other guy’s shoes, and the law helps you do that.”

The Wallace deal, viewed as a steal from Portland’s perspective, created salary cap space for the Bobcats to be an active participant during free agency as the collective bargaining agreement stands today.

The franchise also yielded a first-round pick in the Wallace deal.

With two first round picks (three overall) in the upcoming draft the Bobcats are hoping to snag the building blocks for their future.  Charlotte will pick ninth, 19th and 39th in the draft scheduled for June 23.

Cho is expected to be in attendance with the team on Wednesday as the club continues to work out draft prospects.  His initial impression of the current roster is that the team needs a shooter and an interior presence.

Pietrus Opts in for 2012; but is a trade coming? Suns veteran small forward Mickael Pietrus won’t be testing the uncertain free agency waters this summer, instead choosing to exercise his $5.3 million option for the 2012 season.

But according to his agent, his long term future in Phoenix is all but a certainty.

“I’d be surprised if Lon (Babby, Suns president of basketball operations) doesn’t make a couple deals on draft day or later,” McCandless told Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. “If you have a surplus in one position and a need in another, guess what?”

{AUTHOR_BOX} In addition to Pietrus, the Suns also currently have wings Hakim Warrick, Josh Childress and Jared Dudley under contract.

Warrick is owed $12.8 million through 2014, Dudley is on the books for $21.3 million through 2016 and Childress is signed through 2015 with $27 million remaining.

Pietrus’ expiring deal would undoubtedly be the easiest to move especially with a new collective bargaining agreement expected to reduce the overall cap number for each team or at the very least strongly encourage more frugal spending on talent by league executives.

The eighth year forward averaged 7.4 points in 38 contests for Phoenix last season.

McCandless made it clear that Pietrus wasn’t actively pursuing a trade and if one didn’t occur his client was looking to prove himself further to head coach Alvin Gentry and his staff.

“If he (Pietrus) comes back, he’s looking forward to having a full training camp. It’s not the easiest thing, for any player, to be traded and go from Coaching Style A to Coaching Style B and from Management Style A to Management Style B,” McCandless said.

Dalembert and the HEAT? It’s no secret the Miami HEAT are in desperate need for a veteran center to log heavy minutes in their rotation – preferably starter type minutes.

One of the most attractive options on the market this summer will be nine year veteran Samuel Dalembert.

Dalembert’s agent, Marc Cornstein, believes Miami, if interested, would be a strong contender for the big man’s services.

“Fit wise, Miami makes a lot of sense,” Marc Cornstein told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “Economically, we just don’t know because of the labor deal.”

Dalembert reportedly owns a home in Boca Raton and is no stranger to the area. He has also traveled with the Heat on earthquake relief missions to Haiti according to Jackson’s report.

Unfortunately for Miami economics will play a huge factor and may leave them unable to fill their void in the paint.

Dalembert is expected to command much more money in free agency than the HEAT could possibly offer for his services under today’s collective bargaining agreement.

Miami has just over $61 million is salary commitments on the books for the 2012 campaign and this figure doesn’t include the $1.4 million player options for Mike Bibby, Eddie House and Zydrunas Ilgauskas (provided he doesn’t retire as is widely expected).

In terms of talent, Dalembert isn’t the hottest center commodity, but likely the most realistic big name. 

Nene would likely fit the top of the class distinction if he decides to opt out of his contract with the Nuggets.

Tyson Chandler is an unrestricted free agent who will command a lucrative deal after being a strong contributor for the world champion Dallas Mavericks this season and a key cog in the Charlotte Bobcats’ first ever playoff berth in 2010.

Restricted free agents Marc Gasol, Greg Oden and DeAndre Jordan are likely be out of price range since their current teams have the ability to match any deal offered.

76ers set to issue qualifying offers to Hawes, Young: According to Kate Fagan of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the 76ers will extend qualifying offers to forward Thaddeus Young and center Spencer Hawes later this week.

Once the qualifying offers are in place, the team will have the right to match any offer made to each player once free agency begins.

The 76ers surpassed most projections by earning a postseason berth this past season before being bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the Miami HEAT who went on to make a Finals appearance.

Both Young and Hawes expressed to HOOPSWORLD during the season that head coach Doug Collins’ presence on the sidelines played a significant role in their continued development.

Young’s qualifying offer is approximately $3.99 million; Hawes’ offer is approximately $4.05 million.

Retaining Young’s presence on the roster will hold even more importance if the Andre Iguodala trade rumors turn out to be laced in truth.

However, team officials have repeatedly denied they are in discussions to ship the veteran out of town.

HOOPSWORLD Chats: There will be three chats today starting with Luke Byrnes at 1 PM EST. Luke covers college basketball and the NBA Draft for HOOPSWORLD, so get your draft questions in early. Senior NBA writer Eric Pincus will host his next NBA chat at 4 PM EST. Eric covers the Lakers, Clippers and NBA at large. Bringing it home will be Stephen Litel at 8 PM EST. Stephen covers the Minnesota Timberwolves and will have the latest scoop as the team prepares for a pivotal draft day. You can always view the next chat here: Upcoming NBA Chats.