Report: Hornets Likely to Pursue Ex-Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak, Part with Rich Cho

The Charlotte Hornets are reportedly expected to go after former Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak during the offseason, according to a Tuesday report by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Wojnarowski added the Hornets are unlikely to bring back current GM Rich Cho and that Kupchak would partner with assistant general manager Buzz Peterson in Charlotte's front office.

The 63-year-old Kupchak joined the Lakers front office in 1986, and he became the decision-maker as GM in 2000.

The Lakers won four championships during Kupchak's tenure. Between his playing days with the Washington Bullets and Lakers and his time as an executive, Kupchak is a 10-time NBA champion.

Los Angeles fired Kupchak in February 2017 and installed Magic Johnson as president of basketball operations.

While the Lakers made the playoffs in all but one season from 1994-95 through 2012-13, they have failed to reach the postseason in four consecutive campaigns.

Charlotte hired Cho as general manager in 2011, but the franchise has enjoyed little success under his guidance.

He is in his seventh full season with the franchise, and the Hornets have only made the playoffs twice during that time.

They are 24-33 for the 2017-18 campaign, which puts them five-and-a-half games behind the Miami Heat for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.