The Nets defeated the Hawks on Thursday night at Barclays Center, but lost off the court.
The Hornets will hire Nets assistant general manager Jeff Peterson as their new head of basketball operations. According to ESPN.
Peterson replaces Mitch Kupchak, who is transitioning from the Hornets’ general manager role to an advisory role.
“An Orchestral Tribute to the Notorious Big” at Theater Do
Chatelet on January 10th. Getty Images
Peterson, who reportedly beat out 12 other candidates interviewed, quickly made a name for himself in the Hawks’ front office before joining the Nets. At 35 years old, he will be the NBA’s youngest front office top executive.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Nets tried to keep Peterson on the condition of a higher salary and a new title.
Apparently, that wasn’t enough to stop him from leaving to run his own team.
Peterson joined the Nets as assistant general manager under Sean Marks prior to the 2019-20 season and has since become his trusted No. 2.
Peterson started as an intern with the Hawks and was promoted to assistant general manager within four years.
Rick Schnall, one of the Hornets’ two new owners along with Gabe Plotkin, was a minority owner of the Hawks during Peterson’s tenure.
Hornets coach Steve Clifford also has ties to Peterson and is serving as a coaching consultant for the Nets during the 2021-22 season.
Peterson played collegiately at Iowa, Arkansas and Florida State from 2007 to 2012.
Ben Simmons was expected to return to the lineup for the Nets’ 124-97 win over Atlanta on Thursday.
Instead, the former All-Star point guard missed the game with soreness in his left foot.
He missed Tuesday’s 108-81 loss to the Magic as he has not yet been cleared to play back-to-back games while recovering from a back injury.
Simmons was not on the Nets’ injury report on Wednesday, but he was downgraded to questionable early Thursday and later ruled out.
He was initially questionable for the team’s 111-86 win against the Grizzlies on Monday due to soreness in his left foot, but he played off the bench until 2:10 p.m., then sat out until Tuesday.
Dayron Sharp entered the season Thursday with just two 3-pointers, but made two on back-to-back possessions in the fourth quarter, matching his season total. He had 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
“I don’t think he could have made that shot a few months ago,” Dennis Schroder said of Sharpe. “He’s working on his challenges and we just have to trust his decisions and follow them.”
The Nets made 22 of 46 3-pointers, while the Hawks made just 8 of 28.
This marks the first time since February 15, 2021, that the Nets have hit at least 14 more 3s than their opponents, and the sixth time in franchise history.
