Interest from Hornets
Assistant general manager Adam Simon linked to Hornets’ GM vacancy
WASHINGTON — Miami Heat assistant general manager Adam Simon has been linked to the Charlotte Hornets’ vacancy at general manager under owner Michael Jordan.
ESPN is reporting that beyond front-runner Mitch Kupchak, the former long-time Los Angeles Lakers executive, the Hornets also have reached out to Simon, 76ers vice president of player personnel Marc Eversley and Houston Rockets vice president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas.
The Hornets recently parted ways with general manager Rich Cho, whose contract was to expire after this season.
The Hornets ultimately could become a Tar Heel alumni operation, with Jordan, Kupchak and current interim Hornets executive Buzz Peterson, who is expected to remain on with the team, all having played at North Carolina.
Simon, who has had feelers from other teams during his 23-year tenure in a variety of Heat personnel and scouting roles, most recently had interviewed in June for the Milwaukee Bucks’ general manager job that instead went to Jon Horst.
Simon, 44, is known for his work in prospect development and procurement, also serving as general manager of the Heat’s developmental league affiliate, the G League Sioux Falls Skyforce. He also has extensive overseas connections after serving as the team’s lead international scout. He was elevated to assistant general manager after receiving interest for a similar position from the Denver Nuggets four years ago.
The Heat lists Simons as having “played an integral role in Miami drafting Bam Adebayo, Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson and acquiring free agents Hassan Whiteside and Tyler Johnson.”
Simon currently stands in the Heat’s personnel hierarchy below Heat president Pat Riley, general manager Andy Elisburg and vice president of player personnel Chet Kammerer, with CEO Nick Arison also with personnel input.
In addition to his role with the Heat, Simon also serves on a committee with USA Basketball, charged with helping select the players to represent the United States in qualifying for basketball’s World Cup.
Simon also has participated in the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program that visited Johannesburg in both 2006 and 2017 and Tel Aviv in 2017.
Simon joining the Heat in 1995 as an intern in the video room under current coach Erik Spoelstra. The St. Thomas University graduate has also served as director of college/international scouting (2004-11), scout/director of college scouting (2003-04), scout (2002-03), scouting coordinator (2001-02), administrative assistant (1997-01) and basketball operations intern (1996-97).
Jones to G League
The revolving door for Derrick Jones Jr. has the Heat guard back with the Skyforce, less than a week after he was called up in the wake of injuries to Tyler Johnson and Wayne Ellington.
With Johnson back with the Heat and Ellington moving closer to a return Jones had been down to four remaining days of eligibility on his two-way contract before Tuesday’s move.
Once that total is reached, he either would have to spend the balance of the season in the G League, be released or be converted to a standard NBA contract, which would require the Heat to clear a spot on their 15-player NBA roster.
The limitation on NBA tenure ends with the end of the G League regular season on March 24.
Jones would have to be converted to an NBA contract by the final day of the NBA regular season to be playoff eligible.
Guard Derrick Walton Jr., the other Heat player on a two-way contract, remains with the Heat, after being recalled Monday, also with four NBA days left on his contract.