Borrego tabbed as Hornets’ coach

Albuquerque Academy alumnus moves up in coaching ranks

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Michael Jordan has his guy.

The Hornets owner has finalized a deal to hire San Antonio Spurs assistant coach James Borrego as Charlotte’s next head coach, according to people familiar with the situation.

The Hornets haven’t officially announced the hiring. A news conference is expected in the next few days.

The 40-year-old Borrego, an Albuquerque native and Albuquerque Academy alumnus, was reported to be a finalist for the University of New Mexico men’s coaching position a year ago that ultimately went to Paul Weir.

Borrego has spent 15 years an NBA assistant coach, 10 of those with San Antonio under Gregg Popovich. He has been a part of two NBA championship teams — in 2005 and 2007. He also was an assistant with the New Orleans Hornets, well before the team moved back to Charlotte.

This will be his first head coaching job, though he did serve as an interim coach with

the Orlando Magic late in 201516 season after Jacque Vaughn was fired.

The Hornets are in the midst of a major change in the organization.

Jordan fired general manager Rich Cho midway through last season and hired Mitch Kupchak to replace him in April. Kupchak fried Steve Clifford as head coach a few days later.

Under Clifford, the Hornets went to the playoffs just twice in five seasons and failed to win a playoff series.

Among the other NBA assistant coaches to interview for the position were Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga, Raptors assistant Nick Nurse, Spurs assistants Ettore Messina and Ime Udoka, and Blazers assistant David Vanterpol. Former Grizzlies coach David Fizdale also interviewed, but was later hired by the New York Knicks.

Borrego, Larranaga and Nurse were considered the three finalists for the job.

Now the big question becomes whether the Hornets will shake up their roster this offseason.

If the Hornets chose to rebuild, two-time All-Star guard Kemba Walker is easily the most tradable option because of his salary and production. The team also includes Dwight Howard, Nic Batum, Marvin Williams and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

EDWARD A. ORNELAS/THE SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS VIA AP James Borrego, center, seen here as a San Antonio Spurs assistant coach in 2015, listens as head coach Gregg Popovich talks with the team. A deal has been finalized for Borrego, an Albuquerque native, to be the Charlotte Hornets’ next coach.

KATHY WILLENS/ASSOCIATED PRESS Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker, forward Dwayne Bacon and center Dwight Howard, seen here celebrating a win against the Brooklyn Nets in March, are among the players on the team’s roster.