spectre
06-14-2012, 08:28 AM
SportsTribune (http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=133962924794683000)
During Cho's first season as general manager, the Bobcats went 7-59, losing their last 23 games in a row -- three shy of the NBA's worst losing streak ever.
"I didn't think we were going to set the record for the poorest win percentage in history," says Cho, 46. "I take full responsibility for that."
Cho doesn't deserve the blame for Charlotte's unprecedented futility. He came onto the scene in May 2011, weeks after being fired as general manager of the Trail Blazers. The Bobcats were well on their way to being a mess.
But last season's eyesore record leaves Cho, along with majority owner Michael Jordan and President/Basketball Operations Rod Higgins, thirsting for a turnaround.
The Charlotte front office is an interesting dynamic. The elephant in the room is Jordan. You may remember him as a player. As an executive, he has been somewhat less successful.
Jordan became minority owner of the Bobcats in 2006 and ran the club's basketball operations through 2010, when he became majority owner. Since then, he turned basketball ops over to Higgins, who had served as GM since 2007.
Higgins and Cho share front-office duties. Though he is too modest to admit it, Cho is the point man on virtually everything, including the draft, free agency, putting together a summer-league team and the hiring of a coach.
"Rod has been wonderful to work with," Cho says. "We complement each other really well. He has a smart basketball mind."
Cho is mindful of not trying to take credit for Charlotte's front-office decisions. He wants everyone working toward a common goal.
"It was a team effort in OKC," he says. "One of the things Sam always preached -- and I really believe in, too -- is teamwork. That's something I've instilled here with the Bobcats."
Jordan has backed away from day-to-day responsibilities, and gives Cho autonomy to make decisions.
"It's been terrific to work with Michael," he says. "He is very supportive. He has taken a step back, but we always keep him informed. When he is in town, we always talk."
"I was disappointed, just like other (12) teams that didn't get the No. 1 pick," he says. "But that's the way it goes. We had no control over it. The No. 2 pick is better than No. 3 or 4."
The first item of business is hiring a coach "before the draft," Cho says. "We're getting there."
Cho has interviewed 10 candidates, including Jerry Sloan, Nate McMillan and Michael Malone. During the next two weeks, he'll pare the list to "a few, then bring them back and have them talk to Michael."
I think the man hired will be one of the aforementioned three, though I have no clue which one.
"One thing that's going to be important for our growth is player development," Cho says. "The coach we hire will have to have a strong emphasis there."
The Bobcats will likely take either Kansas power forward Thomas Robinson or Kentucky forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist with the No. 2 pick in the draft. I don't see them trading the selection. They are in reconstruction mode.
Cho has revamped Charlotte's scouting system, putting together "the most advanced database I've seen," he says. "It's an eyes, ears and numbers approach. It was something we were going to do in Portland, but didn't have enough time."
Cho is a competitor. He wants to show what happened in Portland was an anomaly. In Charlotte, he wants to emulate the blueprint of Oklahoma City on the way to an appearance in the NBA finals.
During Cho's first season as general manager, the Bobcats went 7-59, losing their last 23 games in a row -- three shy of the NBA's worst losing streak ever.
"I didn't think we were going to set the record for the poorest win percentage in history," says Cho, 46. "I take full responsibility for that."
Cho doesn't deserve the blame for Charlotte's unprecedented futility. He came onto the scene in May 2011, weeks after being fired as general manager of the Trail Blazers. The Bobcats were well on their way to being a mess.
But last season's eyesore record leaves Cho, along with majority owner Michael Jordan and President/Basketball Operations Rod Higgins, thirsting for a turnaround.
The Charlotte front office is an interesting dynamic. The elephant in the room is Jordan. You may remember him as a player. As an executive, he has been somewhat less successful.
Jordan became minority owner of the Bobcats in 2006 and ran the club's basketball operations through 2010, when he became majority owner. Since then, he turned basketball ops over to Higgins, who had served as GM since 2007.
Higgins and Cho share front-office duties. Though he is too modest to admit it, Cho is the point man on virtually everything, including the draft, free agency, putting together a summer-league team and the hiring of a coach.
"Rod has been wonderful to work with," Cho says. "We complement each other really well. He has a smart basketball mind."
Cho is mindful of not trying to take credit for Charlotte's front-office decisions. He wants everyone working toward a common goal.
"It was a team effort in OKC," he says. "One of the things Sam always preached -- and I really believe in, too -- is teamwork. That's something I've instilled here with the Bobcats."
Jordan has backed away from day-to-day responsibilities, and gives Cho autonomy to make decisions.
"It's been terrific to work with Michael," he says. "He is very supportive. He has taken a step back, but we always keep him informed. When he is in town, we always talk."
"I was disappointed, just like other (12) teams that didn't get the No. 1 pick," he says. "But that's the way it goes. We had no control over it. The No. 2 pick is better than No. 3 or 4."
The first item of business is hiring a coach "before the draft," Cho says. "We're getting there."
Cho has interviewed 10 candidates, including Jerry Sloan, Nate McMillan and Michael Malone. During the next two weeks, he'll pare the list to "a few, then bring them back and have them talk to Michael."
I think the man hired will be one of the aforementioned three, though I have no clue which one.
"One thing that's going to be important for our growth is player development," Cho says. "The coach we hire will have to have a strong emphasis there."
The Bobcats will likely take either Kansas power forward Thomas Robinson or Kentucky forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist with the No. 2 pick in the draft. I don't see them trading the selection. They are in reconstruction mode.
Cho has revamped Charlotte's scouting system, putting together "the most advanced database I've seen," he says. "It's an eyes, ears and numbers approach. It was something we were going to do in Portland, but didn't have enough time."
Cho is a competitor. He wants to show what happened in Portland was an anomaly. In Charlotte, he wants to emulate the blueprint of Oklahoma City on the way to an appearance in the NBA finals.