In a relatively major front office shakeup, the Charlotte Hornets have announced that president Rod Higgins has resigned. He had been with the franchise for seven years, but recently had seen owner Michael Jordan hand much his decision-making power over to General Manager Rich Cho.
In a statement, Jordan said:
“Rod has been a consummate professional throughout his time with the team. Thanks to his hard work and commitment, we have an improved roster and we are poised for success in the future. Rod was of great help to me as I navigated my first four years as majority owner of this franchise. I wish him all the best.”
The then-Bobcats made the playoffs last year for only the second time in franchise history, and with a strong young core led by Kemba Walker and Third Team All-NBA forward Al Jefferson, they appear poised to be a factor in the Eastern Conference moving forward. They’ve got cap space this summer as well as the No. 9 and No. 24 overall picks in the draft, and thus figure to be even better next season.
Given Higgins’ close relationship with Jordan, this is a pretty surprising move. Clearly, Cho’s influence in the front office had only grown since his 2011 hire, and slowly but surely Higgins was cast to the side.
RELATED: Is the New Charlotte Hornets' Mascot the Freshest in the NBA?
[via ESPN]
