Welcome to the Hornets High Past present it by Charlotte I ear nosen Throat Associates, the official I ear nosen throat Care provider of the Charlotte Hornets. Here's your host, Sam Farber.

Welcome to the Hornets High Past present it by Charlotte I ear nosen Throat Associates, the official I ear nosen throat Care provider of the Charlotte Hornets. Here's your host, Sam Farber.

Welcome to another edition of the Hornets. I've cast your Hornets podcast with all the notes, quotes, and daily buzz around your favorite NBA team. I'm Sam Farber and it is a pleasure and a privilege have you with us here once again on the Hornets iode Cast, brought to you by Santa Charlotte I ear nosen Throat Associates, the official I ear nosen throw Care provider of the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets had a very successful twenty twenty three NBA draft, netting four players in total, Brandon Miller the number two overall pickout of Alabama, Nick Smith Junior later in the first round out of Arkansas, James Nause, the team traded up to get him early in the second round, and their final pick Amari Bailey, a standout freshman at UCLA during their tournament run as well. All told, a huge haul here for the Charlotte Hornets, and we are excited to bring you today a special, exclusive one on one conversation with a man who made all those picks. The president of basketball Operations and general manager for the Charlotte Hornets, Mitch Cupcheck, our guest for the entirety of this episode of the HHC. So let's get right to it without further ado, Let's welcome once again, Mitch Cupcheck, here to the Hornets Podcast. Mitch, Draft Day is in the history books. It's all over now, a little bit of time for the dust to settle. How do you think you did constructing the twenty twenty three draft class for the Charlotte Hornets.

Welcome to another edition of the Hornets. I've cast your Hornets podcast with all the notes, quotes, and daily buzz around your favorite NBA team. I'm Sam Farber and it is a pleasure and a privilege have you with us here once again on the Hornets iode Cast, brought to you by Santa Charlotte I ear nosen Throat Associates, the official I ear nosen throw Care provider of the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets had a very successful twenty twenty three NBA draft, netting four players in total, Brandon Miller the number two overall pickout of Alabama, Nick Smith Junior later in the first round out of Arkansas, James Nause, the team traded up to get him early in the second round, and their final pick Amari Bailey, a standout freshman at UCLA during their tournament run as well. All told, a huge haul here for the Charlotte Hornets, and we are excited to bring you today a special, exclusive one on one conversation with a man who made all those picks. The president of basketball Operations and general manager for the Charlotte Hornets, Mitch Cupcheck, our guest for the entirety of this episode of the HHC. So let's get right to it without further ado, Let's welcome once again, Mitch Cupcheck, here to the Hornets Podcast. Mitch, Draft Day is in the history books. It's all over now, a little bit of time for the dust to settle. How do you think you did constructing the twenty twenty three draft class for the Charlotte Hornets.

Well, I think we've had a good draft. We started in the day with five picks too, twenty seven, thirty four, thirty nine, and forty one, and we ended up consolidating and we ended up losing a pick, but we ended up moving up in the draft. And now we ended up with players that we had targeted. Very pleased with our group. And you know, if you would have mentioned to me a couple of weeks ago that we would end up with these players after the draft, that would have been a very very excited. Now they're all young, so we're hoping that they develop into the player that we think they're going to be a lot of the draft is predicated on potential, right chrise. They're so young, and that's what makes the job difficult. You know, you're trying to look at a player who's eighteen, nineteen or even twenty and try to project out three or four years. But you know, we've been doing it for years and we feel we got a good group.

Well, I think we've had a good draft. We started in the day with five picks too, twenty seven, thirty four, thirty nine, and forty one, and we ended up consolidating and we ended up losing a pick, but we ended up moving up in the draft. And now we ended up with players that we had targeted. Very pleased with our group. And you know, if you would have mentioned to me a couple of weeks ago that we would end up with these players after the draft, that would have been a very very excited. Now they're all young, so we're hoping that they develop into the player that we think they're going to be a lot of the draft is predicated on potential, right chrise. They're so young, and that's what makes the job difficult. You know, you're trying to look at a player who's eighteen, nineteen or even twenty and try to project out three or four years. But you know, we've been doing it for years and we feel we got a good group.

Winning Draft Day pails in comparison to winning championships and competing for those, and that's really how you ultimately decide whether or not you won Draft Day. But there is something to be said for the value of the player as you get and where you got them. Guys like Nick Smith and Amari Bailey at different times based off their recruiting profiles and whatnot, we're amongst the top five or ten guys in their C this class in that respect. Do you feel like you got a big win here in terms of the value of the players for where you were actually able to obtain them.

Winning Draft Day pails in comparison to winning championships and competing for those, and that's really how you ultimately decide whether or not you won Draft Day. But there is something to be said for the value of the player as you get and where you got them. Guys like Nick Smith and Amari Bailey at different times based off their recruiting profiles and whatnot, we're amongst the top five or ten guys in their C this class in that respect. Do you feel like you got a big win here in terms of the value of the players for where you were actually able to obtain them.

Well, I know most people evaluate the draft just by looking at media reports of mock drafts, right, and of course we compile all the mock drafts. Is probably fifteen twenty, maybe more than that, and we do a composite, right, and we don't do it to figure out who we're going to take. We do it just to make sure cross reference that we're not missing a name, right, But that's not most people determine the strength of a draft, right. So internally, the four that we drafted, we had them all ranked very high. And of course that's very different than a mock draft. Right. This is what I consider the most important document that we have throughout the year. You know, that one document that's delivered two or three days before the draft with the top sixty in order, and then the draft starts, and you know, you take your first player, and then sometimes you might not take the best name on the board because the player you just selected is a certain position and you don't want to duplicate. So it doesn't always go according to our mock draft are one through sixty. Sometimes I have my own opinion and I'll overrule something. Maybe somebody has him at twenty four and I had him at twenty three, or I had him in twenty two. It's never dramatic, So that's kind of how it works. And we had the group ranked pretty high. Once again, they're young, and we got to wait a couple of years to look back on it, but the potential's there.

Well, I know most people evaluate the draft just by looking at media reports of mock drafts, right, and of course we compile all the mock drafts. Is probably fifteen twenty, maybe more than that, and we do a composite, right, and we don't do it to figure out who we're going to take. We do it just to make sure cross reference that we're not missing a name, right, But that's not most people determine the strength of a draft, right. So internally, the four that we drafted, we had them all ranked very high. And of course that's very different than a mock draft. Right. This is what I consider the most important document that we have throughout the year. You know, that one document that's delivered two or three days before the draft with the top sixty in order, and then the draft starts, and you know, you take your first player, and then sometimes you might not take the best name on the board because the player you just selected is a certain position and you don't want to duplicate. So it doesn't always go according to our mock draft are one through sixty. Sometimes I have my own opinion and I'll overrule something. Maybe somebody has him at twenty four and I had him at twenty three, or I had him in twenty two. It's never dramatic, So that's kind of how it works. And we had the group ranked pretty high. Once again, they're young, and we got to wait a couple of years to look back on it, but the potential's there.

Let's talk about the focal point for most when it comes to this class, your top pick number two overall, Brandon Miller, what ultimately made him the right choice for the Charlotte Hornets at number two.

Let's talk about the focal point for most when it comes to this class, your top pick number two overall, Brandon Miller, what ultimately made him the right choice for the Charlotte Hornets at number two.

In the game today, wings they're just so valuable, right, and a wing typically could be well a guy that plays a small forward the three position, but over the years it's kind of transformed into a player that, if able, can guard and play several positions. So you can see how a big wing who's athletic, who has multi level skills and can move his feet, can defense, and has great quickness can be really valuable. Now you have a guy that can bring the ball up the court, you have a guy that can defend the two, you have a guy that can play a three and out quicken other players. And when you switch, which is what everybody does in our game. I mean some people watch the game close enough to see that. Some people would never notice it, right, but in our game today almost everything's a switch. So it makes it that much more valuable to have a wing with that kind of diversity. Now I haven't mentioned the shooting skill right, we feel he could really improve our percentage. But he can play make he'll grab a rebound, he'll bring the ball down the court, he'll attack the rim, or he'll make a left handed pass into the right corner or a right handed pass into the left corner. When you're around him, he's kind of quiet, and you know, it doesn't say a whole lot, but that's a lot of that's being nineteen. But on the court, the kid competes. So there's a lot of good players in the draft. We felt that he had the best chance to grow and have the best career out of everybody else be considered. But it's very possible that there are two or three or four players that are equally impactful, you know, on the NBA eight to ten years from now, and that would be great. But right now, that's the guy that we wanted.

In the game today, wings they're just so valuable, right, and a wing typically could be well a guy that plays a small forward the three position, but over the years it's kind of transformed into a player that, if able, can guard and play several positions. So you can see how a big wing who's athletic, who has multi level skills and can move his feet, can defense, and has great quickness can be really valuable. Now you have a guy that can bring the ball up the court, you have a guy that can defend the two, you have a guy that can play a three and out quicken other players. And when you switch, which is what everybody does in our game. I mean some people watch the game close enough to see that. Some people would never notice it, right, but in our game today almost everything's a switch. So it makes it that much more valuable to have a wing with that kind of diversity. Now I haven't mentioned the shooting skill right, we feel he could really improve our percentage. But he can play make he'll grab a rebound, he'll bring the ball down the court, he'll attack the rim, or he'll make a left handed pass into the right corner or a right handed pass into the left corner. When you're around him, he's kind of quiet, and you know, it doesn't say a whole lot, but that's a lot of that's being nineteen. But on the court, the kid competes. So there's a lot of good players in the draft. We felt that he had the best chance to grow and have the best career out of everybody else be considered. But it's very possible that there are two or three or four players that are equally impactful, you know, on the NBA eight to ten years from now, and that would be great. But right now, that's the guy that we wanted.

You have been in this position to draft in the top ten over the course of your general manager career a handful of times, and every single one of those players has ended up being an All Star. I don't want to do the comparison game who does he look like? Because we've had that conversation where it's really unfair to the player to do that. But in terms of the level of talent, how good of a feeling did you have about Brandon Miller at number two as compared to those other times that you've selected in the top ten and successfully found an all star level player.

You have been in this position to draft in the top ten over the course of your general manager career a handful of times, and every single one of those players has ended up being an All Star. I don't want to do the comparison game who does he look like? Because we've had that conversation where it's really unfair to the player to do that. But in terms of the level of talent, how good of a feeling did you have about Brandon Miller at number two as compared to those other times that you've selected in the top ten and successfully found an all star level player.

Well a player. Now, I'm not saying they're similar, okay, but Brandon Ingram, who played it to great. People in North Carolina are probably very familiar with him. When I was in Los Angeles, I believe we took him maybe at number two right now, now they're totally different players, but they both came into the league after being a freshman, and Brandon Ingram, right was maybe about the same size, but I can't think that. Maybe he weighed one hundred and eighty five pounds, right, maybe one hundred and eighty And then if you look at him today, you could see that he's been in the weight room and it's five or six years later he's put on weight because you do that naturally, just as you age. I think we all know that, right, but I've done it more than most. Well, yeah, it is a problem, right, but you know your body fills out your shoulders and yeah, you just do naturally, but if you get in the weight room, you know, you can speed the process up a little bit. Right, So, Brandon Miller, a big part of his upside is being able to improve his strength. And I was talking to him today. You know, you'll have to guard Lebron James, and Lebron James is about six eight, but he weighs about two hundred and sixty pounds, okay, and you're about six eight and you one hundred and ninety pounds, right, So this is a totally different league. But there's a lot of upside there. Right. If he can put on ten fifteen pounds in the next six to eight months and get that much stronger, that's where we'll see upside. Now. Of course, just by repetition alone, he should becoming a better shooter, and by playing in the game and getting coached and maturing, you know, his skill level will continue to improve. He competes, yeah, I'm not worried about him not competing. That's a key a key component. But one of the biggest upsized components really is letting his body naturally get stronger. And then also I was trying to help push the process along a little bit by getting in the way when working with our strength and conditioning people.

Well a player. Now, I'm not saying they're similar, okay, but Brandon Ingram, who played it to great. People in North Carolina are probably very familiar with him. When I was in Los Angeles, I believe we took him maybe at number two right now, now they're totally different players, but they both came into the league after being a freshman, and Brandon Ingram, right was maybe about the same size, but I can't think that. Maybe he weighed one hundred and eighty five pounds, right, maybe one hundred and eighty And then if you look at him today, you could see that he's been in the weight room and it's five or six years later he's put on weight because you do that naturally, just as you age. I think we all know that, right, but I've done it more than most. Well, yeah, it is a problem, right, but you know your body fills out your shoulders and yeah, you just do naturally, but if you get in the weight room, you know, you can speed the process up a little bit. Right, So, Brandon Miller, a big part of his upside is being able to improve his strength. And I was talking to him today. You know, you'll have to guard Lebron James, and Lebron James is about six eight, but he weighs about two hundred and sixty pounds, okay, and you're about six eight and you one hundred and ninety pounds, right, So this is a totally different league. But there's a lot of upside there. Right. If he can put on ten fifteen pounds in the next six to eight months and get that much stronger, that's where we'll see upside. Now. Of course, just by repetition alone, he should becoming a better shooter, and by playing in the game and getting coached and maturing, you know, his skill level will continue to improve. He competes, yeah, I'm not worried about him not competing. That's a key a key component. But one of the biggest upsized components really is letting his body naturally get stronger. And then also I was trying to help push the process along a little bit by getting in the way when working with our strength and conditioning people.

The conversation around the number two pick outside of the building, a lot of it centered around this fit versus talents kind of conversation. And you've already said talent wise, you had him extremely highly graded, and I leave ultimately feel he's maybe the most talented player who was available to I don't want to put words in your mouth, but that's the sense I'm getting. But people also looked at this from a fit perspective, and to me, that's a short term answer on what is ultimately a long term question. But there is an opportunity with this roster that just two years ago was on the prespice of the playoffs had gotten above five hundred. Then, of course everything that took place did with injuries and absences. But what can Brandon Miller bring to this group immediately that has you excited about the short term fortunes for the Hornets here?

The conversation around the number two pick outside of the building, a lot of it centered around this fit versus talents kind of conversation. And you've already said talent wise, you had him extremely highly graded, and I leave ultimately feel he's maybe the most talented player who was available to I don't want to put words in your mouth, but that's the sense I'm getting. But people also looked at this from a fit perspective, and to me, that's a short term answer on what is ultimately a long term question. But there is an opportunity with this roster that just two years ago was on the prespice of the playoffs had gotten above five hundred. Then, of course everything that took place did with injuries and absences. But what can Brandon Miller bring to this group immediately that has you excited about the short term fortunes for the Hornets here?

Well, we didn't draft Brandon because of fit, okay, but it's hard to ignore when you're trying to build a team, whether it's a free agent or a trade or a drafting a player, you know, how is this player going to fit into what we already have. So I don't want to sit here and say it wasn't a factor, but it wasn't the factor, and it wasn't why we drafted him. We feel over time and once he mature, as he gets stronger, puts on some weight, feel he has the most upside considering his position in the NBA and his natural instincts on the court. He just has a feel like you put a ball in his hands and you can just see that he knows what he's doing. Right. He didn't just start playing. Some people it just comes naturally. Some people start playing when they're four years old and a ball is a part of their body and it's just it's natural. Some people start playing a little bit later and you put a ball in their hands and it just it's like they're stiff, they're mechanical, and you know they have to think twice before they do something. It just doesn't come natural, right. So that's a big part of Brandon Miller. It's a natural He just has a natural feeling approach to the game.

Well, we didn't draft Brandon because of fit, okay, but it's hard to ignore when you're trying to build a team, whether it's a free agent or a trade or a drafting a player, you know, how is this player going to fit into what we already have. So I don't want to sit here and say it wasn't a factor, but it wasn't the factor, and it wasn't why we drafted him. We feel over time and once he mature, as he gets stronger, puts on some weight, feel he has the most upside considering his position in the NBA and his natural instincts on the court. He just has a feel like you put a ball in his hands and you can just see that he knows what he's doing. Right. He didn't just start playing. Some people it just comes naturally. Some people start playing when they're four years old and a ball is a part of their body and it's just it's natural. Some people start playing a little bit later and you put a ball in their hands and it just it's like they're stiff, they're mechanical, and you know they have to think twice before they do something. It just doesn't come natural, right. So that's a big part of Brandon Miller. It's a natural He just has a natural feeling approach to the game.

Mitch cup Check, general manager of the Charlotte Hornets, our guest today here on the hhd R Post Draft edition of the Hornets hive cast. You also took Nick Smith junior and Amari Bailey that were in the same recruiting class into college as and both were actually at one point higher rated on a lot of those boards. I have a feeling if this draft had taken place and they were eligible to come out straight from high school, there would be a lot of draft boards mock drafts that would have had them both going in the lottery. How do you feel about their talent level, their potential to contribute in addition to the value of where you're able to select them twenty seven and forty one, respectively.

Mitch cup Check, general manager of the Charlotte Hornets, our guest today here on the hhd R Post Draft edition of the Hornets hive cast. You also took Nick Smith junior and Amari Bailey that were in the same recruiting class into college as and both were actually at one point higher rated on a lot of those boards. I have a feeling if this draft had taken place and they were eligible to come out straight from high school, there would be a lot of draft boards mock drafts that would have had them both going in the lottery. How do you feel about their talent level, their potential to contribute in addition to the value of where you're able to select them twenty seven and forty one, respectively.

Yet they're all young players, right, and they were selected at various points and times in the draft. We had all four of the drafted players, including James Nause, really in the top half of the draft, and you know, obviously Amari fell out of the top half of the draft, right. So a big part of our challenge will also be our roster. We don't have enough roster space at this time considering what we may want to do with our free agents during the off season, nor does it really make a lot of sense to add another for nineteen or twenty year old players to this team, right, So a lot of what we did was trying to manage maybe a player that might continue to play overseas, and then of course maybe a two way player or an exhibit ten. So those were all factors. Right, if you think you might have one roster spot left, you can't draft three players that want to be on the roster. Okay, Now you've just made a big mistake and you got to figure out what to do. You got to cut somebody on a guaranteed contract a training camp. Now you're in depression to make a trade during the summer. So those are also factors into why we drafted who we drafted. But they were all okay, putting aside roster and no roster, they were all ranked by our scouts and even and myself as well, very highly in the draft.

Yet they're all young players, right, and they were selected at various points and times in the draft. We had all four of the drafted players, including James Nause, really in the top half of the draft, and you know, obviously Amari fell out of the top half of the draft, right. So a big part of our challenge will also be our roster. We don't have enough roster space at this time considering what we may want to do with our free agents during the off season, nor does it really make a lot of sense to add another for nineteen or twenty year old players to this team, right, So a lot of what we did was trying to manage maybe a player that might continue to play overseas, and then of course maybe a two way player or an exhibit ten. So those were all factors. Right, if you think you might have one roster spot left, you can't draft three players that want to be on the roster. Okay, Now you've just made a big mistake and you got to figure out what to do. You got to cut somebody on a guaranteed contract a training camp. Now you're in depression to make a trade during the summer. So those are also factors into why we drafted who we drafted. But they were all okay, putting aside roster and no roster, they were all ranked by our scouts and even and myself as well, very highly in the draft.

Sometimes when you get these young guys, they have different levels of accomplishment where they were coming from before, either internationally or in the college game. In particular, those two guards, Nick Smith Junior and Amari Bailey, even though they dropped in the draft, when you look at how they closed their seasons, they did pretty darn well at some pretty high level of competent. Smith was on an Arkansas team that made a deep run and had a good tournament. Maury Bailey on a UCLA team that made a deep run and he had a really strong tournament. In terms of their preparedness or are they in a better position to compete for whatever they can get in training camp and beyond, how did they compare to some other young nineteen year old players entering the league with what they were able to do in their one year in college.

Sometimes when you get these young guys, they have different levels of accomplishment where they were coming from before, either internationally or in the college game. In particular, those two guards, Nick Smith Junior and Amari Bailey, even though they dropped in the draft, when you look at how they closed their seasons, they did pretty darn well at some pretty high level of competent. Smith was on an Arkansas team that made a deep run and had a good tournament. Maury Bailey on a UCLA team that made a deep run and he had a really strong tournament. In terms of their preparedness or are they in a better position to compete for whatever they can get in training camp and beyond, how did they compare to some other young nineteen year old players entering the league with what they were able to do in their one year in college.

Yeah, undoubtedly it's a positive to have played at a strong college level. The competition is better, you're in front of bigger crowds, there's more TV exposure, You're dealing with adversity maybe a little bit more.

Yeah, undoubtedly it's a positive to have played at a strong college level. The competition is better, you're in front of bigger crowds, there's more TV exposure, You're dealing with adversity maybe a little bit more.

So.

So.

I don't even know what that conference out there is called now if I think this past year was the PAC twelve, Yes, and then of course the Southeastern Conference, right, So those are really two really really good conference and to be honest with the Southeastern Conference might have been the best basketball conference this year. Both coaches, who we know very well and we've talked to crown In and Musclemen are good coaches. They run a tight ship, right, so you don't have to worry about players being on time and working and being coachable. So all those were good things. And that's not to say that a player at a smaller school is not going to succeed, but that's good to know. When you have a couple of guys drafted from big time programs.

I don't even know what that conference out there is called now if I think this past year was the PAC twelve, Yes, and then of course the Southeastern Conference, right, So those are really two really really good conference and to be honest with the Southeastern Conference might have been the best basketball conference this year. Both coaches, who we know very well and we've talked to crown In and Musclemen are good coaches. They run a tight ship, right, so you don't have to worry about players being on time and working and being coachable. So all those were good things. And that's not to say that a player at a smaller school is not going to succeed, but that's good to know. When you have a couple of guys drafted from big time programs.

You also move up to acquire the rights to James Nase and International Prospect as Center. From my understanding, very young and relatively new word to the game in terms of his overall time span spent playing it. What can you tell us about what excited you enough about him to move up to get him.

You also move up to acquire the rights to James Nase and International Prospect as Center. From my understanding, very young and relatively new word to the game in terms of his overall time span spent playing it. What can you tell us about what excited you enough about him to move up to get him.

Yeah, I go to Europe once or twice a year with our European scout, Yakub Kudulik, and we're there for ten days or so, and every day we're doing something. That's what I tell him. Just find me something to do every day. And sometimes that means you're going to take two flights to get to where you want to go. And sometimes you do that and you get to the practice at six o'clock and you get to watch the last forty five minutes. But when I'm over there, I like to be as productive as possible and see as much as possible. This past trip, Nause playing for Barcelona, being as young as he was and as raw talent, there were no expectations that he would play if we went to a game, right, But we ended up going to a couple of games, and of course you go there early because you get to watch and work out before the game, and that was my expectation. But actually in a couple of the games he did get to play, right, So I had a working knowledge of him from my trip this past year into Europe, got down close to the court, and that's when you can get a great appreciation for this kid. You know, he's got an NBA physique, he's very athletic, very raw talent. But if you just watch him pregame and his agent sent out a video you know, I don't even know if it's out there on the internet or out but he sent out the video a couple of weeks ago. It was just an absurd video of this kid going through a workout, right, And if you see it and in your GM, you have to take notice. Now, maybe I'm overdoing it, or maybe those gms didn't go to Europe and watch them play in the game. You know, I don't know. But to be able to draft him like we did, that was a player that we targeted, right, But once again he's got the tools. Apparently he's got the work ethic. You know, I've talked to some people, you know, I know some people that work for that club. In fact, Juan Carlos Navarro, who might be a name you're familiar with, played in the NBA for a bunch of years a while back. He's the GM of the club in Barcelona. So we get feedback on the kid and the work ethic. But when you're nineteen, it's like I said earlier, right, Okay, let's go. You're going to put the work in and let's see where it takes us.

Yeah, I go to Europe once or twice a year with our European scout, Yakub Kudulik, and we're there for ten days or so, and every day we're doing something. That's what I tell him. Just find me something to do every day. And sometimes that means you're going to take two flights to get to where you want to go. And sometimes you do that and you get to the practice at six o'clock and you get to watch the last forty five minutes. But when I'm over there, I like to be as productive as possible and see as much as possible. This past trip, Nause playing for Barcelona, being as young as he was and as raw talent, there were no expectations that he would play if we went to a game, right, But we ended up going to a couple of games, and of course you go there early because you get to watch and work out before the game, and that was my expectation. But actually in a couple of the games he did get to play, right, So I had a working knowledge of him from my trip this past year into Europe, got down close to the court, and that's when you can get a great appreciation for this kid. You know, he's got an NBA physique, he's very athletic, very raw talent. But if you just watch him pregame and his agent sent out a video you know, I don't even know if it's out there on the internet or out but he sent out the video a couple of weeks ago. It was just an absurd video of this kid going through a workout, right, And if you see it and in your GM, you have to take notice. Now, maybe I'm overdoing it, or maybe those gms didn't go to Europe and watch them play in the game. You know, I don't know. But to be able to draft him like we did, that was a player that we targeted, right, But once again he's got the tools. Apparently he's got the work ethic. You know, I've talked to some people, you know, I know some people that work for that club. In fact, Juan Carlos Navarro, who might be a name you're familiar with, played in the NBA for a bunch of years a while back. He's the GM of the club in Barcelona. So we get feedback on the kid and the work ethic. But when you're nineteen, it's like I said earlier, right, Okay, let's go. You're going to put the work in and let's see where it takes us.

Mitch Cupcheck, general manager of the Charlotte Hornet's our guest today. He on the Hornets, I've cast you make these four picks, all individually of each other, but in assessing the class collectively, the level of talent, the variety of positions, how good do you feel about this influx of talent across the board for Charlotte.

Mitch Cupcheck, general manager of the Charlotte Hornet's our guest today. He on the Hornets, I've cast you make these four picks, all individually of each other, but in assessing the class collectively, the level of talent, the variety of positions, how good do you feel about this influx of talent across the board for Charlotte.

Well, we could have traded some of the picks and try to put them into future years. Okay, and for example, next year we have our pick, but it might get conveyed, right, so we might not have a pick right, So next year we may only have a second round pick, so you might say, well, let's make a trade and get another pick next year. And you know you've got five picks, Well, let's just push two or three of those picks down the road. Right. And our feeling was this year with the new rule in the G League about being able to add a third two way contract, right, our league and our minor league system is becoming It's not there yet, but it's becoming closer and closer to like the baseball model where you actually have minor leagues where you could stop the minor league. And you know, we don't go from A to Double A to Triple A. We just have the G League swarm. Right, But you can control rights more, the players get paid, more, conditions improve, and you can stock the system. So our feeling was this year, rather than push some of those picks down the road, let's just get the players. Because if you push the picks down the road, what you're really doing, you're kicking the can down the road. And now you're going to look at draft to get a nineteen year old player next year or a nineteen year old player in twenty twenty five. Right, And now you got to wait three years for that player to develop, right, if we could get them into our system now, and we're not expecting them all to be NBA players. We're taking swings. Right, If you draft well with talent and you've done your homework, you know something, you swing a couple of times, you know you might you might hit a home run. And that's what our approach was this year. Draft the players, get them in the system. Don't push the picks down the road. There's a lot of selling of picks that takes place, and you can make a lot a lot of money, millions and millions of dollars, right, but that's not in our best interest since I got here. That's one thing that Michael gave free reign on Mitch. You know, we don't have to sell picks if you want to draft a guy. And you know something, our scouts have drafted a lot of guys in the second round. They've gone to Greensboro and the Davante's, the Martin Brothers, Jalen McDaniels, Nick Richards last year was even Mark Williams right. So we have the development process in place, so let's get the guys in the system, which is what we did this year.

Well, we could have traded some of the picks and try to put them into future years. Okay, and for example, next year we have our pick, but it might get conveyed, right, so we might not have a pick right, So next year we may only have a second round pick, so you might say, well, let's make a trade and get another pick next year. And you know you've got five picks, Well, let's just push two or three of those picks down the road. Right. And our feeling was this year with the new rule in the G League about being able to add a third two way contract, right, our league and our minor league system is becoming It's not there yet, but it's becoming closer and closer to like the baseball model where you actually have minor leagues where you could stop the minor league. And you know, we don't go from A to Double A to Triple A. We just have the G League swarm. Right, But you can control rights more, the players get paid, more, conditions improve, and you can stock the system. So our feeling was this year, rather than push some of those picks down the road, let's just get the players. Because if you push the picks down the road, what you're really doing, you're kicking the can down the road. And now you're going to look at draft to get a nineteen year old player next year or a nineteen year old player in twenty twenty five. Right, And now you got to wait three years for that player to develop, right, if we could get them into our system now, and we're not expecting them all to be NBA players. We're taking swings. Right, If you draft well with talent and you've done your homework, you know something, you swing a couple of times, you know you might you might hit a home run. And that's what our approach was this year. Draft the players, get them in the system. Don't push the picks down the road. There's a lot of selling of picks that takes place, and you can make a lot a lot of money, millions and millions of dollars, right, but that's not in our best interest since I got here. That's one thing that Michael gave free reign on Mitch. You know, we don't have to sell picks if you want to draft a guy. And you know something, our scouts have drafted a lot of guys in the second round. They've gone to Greensboro and the Davante's, the Martin Brothers, Jalen McDaniels, Nick Richards last year was even Mark Williams right. So we have the development process in place, so let's get the guys in the system, which is what we did this year.

The draft is such a huge day for the future of a franchise, but the job never ends. Obviously, a lot of decisions to be made between now and when the new league year starts. What are some of your top priorities now as we move to a new phase of this offseason.

The draft is such a huge day for the future of a franchise, but the job never ends. Obviously, a lot of decisions to be made between now and when the new league year starts. What are some of your top priorities now as we move to a new phase of this offseason.

Well, gave the office the weekend off.

Well, gave the office the weekend off.

Okay, okay, that's I'm glad.

Okay, okay, that's I'm glad.

I don't have to come priority that doesn't apply to you, that's my okay. You know, they've been really burning the midnight oil for weeks and weeks and weeks, and on top of that, there's been a lot of pressure and stress and deadlines and creating documents and video and travel and so everybody needs a couple of days to get away from it, right. We're very familiar with the NBA calendar. Right after the draft, you know, there may be some activity leading into July first, which is when the free agent period starts. Right, so there'll be activity regarding trading or possible trades, maybe over the weekend, but likely beginning next week. We're also going to have our first summer League practice Thursday or Friday, and before you know it, the team is going to be in Sacramento for a summer league the next week, and then we'll be in Vegas, you know, for about ten days, right, So that's going on simultaneously. That that'll keep our coaches and our trainers and our medical people busy. But our next step is to see if there's a way to prove the team via a trade and then be ready for July first, which is the beginning of the free agent period and not only allows you to sign free agents, but it also allows you to sign back your own free agents.

I don't have to come priority that doesn't apply to you, that's my okay. You know, they've been really burning the midnight oil for weeks and weeks and weeks, and on top of that, there's been a lot of pressure and stress and deadlines and creating documents and video and travel and so everybody needs a couple of days to get away from it, right. We're very familiar with the NBA calendar. Right after the draft, you know, there may be some activity leading into July first, which is when the free agent period starts. Right, so there'll be activity regarding trading or possible trades, maybe over the weekend, but likely beginning next week. We're also going to have our first summer League practice Thursday or Friday, and before you know it, the team is going to be in Sacramento for a summer league the next week, and then we'll be in Vegas, you know, for about ten days, right, So that's going on simultaneously. That that'll keep our coaches and our trainers and our medical people busy. But our next step is to see if there's a way to prove the team via a trade and then be ready for July first, which is the beginning of the free agent period and not only allows you to sign free agents, but it also allows you to sign back your own free agents.

Last thing for you, Mitch, you've set over and over the goal for you for this franchise is not just to get into the playoffs once or just you make a blip. Is to be able to contend for the long term and be a consistent presence deep into the postseason. With the acquisitions you've made, the opportunities you have in free agency, with trades, with bringing back players. Where do you feel you are now on that timeline in respect to where you were two years ago when the team was above five hundred and maybe even compared to this time last year where you couldn't have known all the injuries and absences that were going to happen. It unfortunately did and hopefully don't happen in this seriar to come.

Last thing for you, Mitch, you've set over and over the goal for you for this franchise is not just to get into the playoffs once or just you make a blip. Is to be able to contend for the long term and be a consistent presence deep into the postseason. With the acquisitions you've made, the opportunities you have in free agency, with trades, with bringing back players. Where do you feel you are now on that timeline in respect to where you were two years ago when the team was above five hundred and maybe even compared to this time last year where you couldn't have known all the injuries and absences that were going to happen. It unfortunately did and hopefully don't happen in this seriar to come.

Yeah, I mean you've characterized it pretty good, right. I thought two years ago you were forty three, forty three wins, and everybody getting to be a year older, mellow getting a year older. I'm thinking, well, man, maybe we can go to forty six or forty seven, right, And our goal, like you said, is not just to eeke into the playoffs and have a playoff series and play well, and you know that's kind of it. We want to get in. We want to advance in the playoffs and get to the conference finals, right, and then take it from there. And why can't we do that? Right? Denver did it this year. I think four or five years ago, nobody would have thought Denver would have done it. Right, it's La or it's Boston, or it's Miami, right, but here we got a team that won the championship. So why can't the Hornets do it? And then last year the injuries Meller broken his ankle, and then of course you mentioned the unexpected absence Cody completely out of the blue, missed the whole season. I never even for a second thought that would happen. So it's one of those years. And Michael and I talked about it a lot, right, he takes it really hard, very competitive, and two thirds of the way through the season, I said, Michael, this man up being a really good thing. We got to give our younger players a chance to play and then we may end up with a great pick. Right now, we ended up with four, and of course we were concerned that we would go back to eight, which petrified me. Right, I would have been happy to stay at four. But then we got lucky and went to two. So that wasn't something that you plan. But you know, sometimes there's a silver lining, and that's the silver lining. Now we got a heck of a player. Yeah, maybe we're a year behind, right, but some of those things are out of our control. And now, knock on wood, we are healthy. Cody is in the gym every day. I just left the gym and Mellows out there working out. Everybody else is healthy. We've got four players, talented players in the system, and we got the number two players. So you know, it may work out best where we can continue that that rise, right that that point where we can have young players that are developing and the team continues to improve every year.

Yeah, I mean you've characterized it pretty good, right. I thought two years ago you were forty three, forty three wins, and everybody getting to be a year older, mellow getting a year older. I'm thinking, well, man, maybe we can go to forty six or forty seven, right, And our goal, like you said, is not just to eeke into the playoffs and have a playoff series and play well, and you know that's kind of it. We want to get in. We want to advance in the playoffs and get to the conference finals, right, and then take it from there. And why can't we do that? Right? Denver did it this year. I think four or five years ago, nobody would have thought Denver would have done it. Right, it's La or it's Boston, or it's Miami, right, but here we got a team that won the championship. So why can't the Hornets do it? And then last year the injuries Meller broken his ankle, and then of course you mentioned the unexpected absence Cody completely out of the blue, missed the whole season. I never even for a second thought that would happen. So it's one of those years. And Michael and I talked about it a lot, right, he takes it really hard, very competitive, and two thirds of the way through the season, I said, Michael, this man up being a really good thing. We got to give our younger players a chance to play and then we may end up with a great pick. Right now, we ended up with four, and of course we were concerned that we would go back to eight, which petrified me. Right, I would have been happy to stay at four. But then we got lucky and went to two. So that wasn't something that you plan. But you know, sometimes there's a silver lining, and that's the silver lining. Now we got a heck of a player. Yeah, maybe we're a year behind, right, but some of those things are out of our control. And now, knock on wood, we are healthy. Cody is in the gym every day. I just left the gym and Mellows out there working out. Everybody else is healthy. We've got four players, talented players in the system, and we got the number two players. So you know, it may work out best where we can continue that that rise, right that that point where we can have young players that are developing and the team continues to improve every year.

It is certainly an exciting time. We are excited about the future. Enjoy your weekend off, You've earned it, and thanks so much for sharing your insights and your time with us here once again on the Hornets Podcast.

It is certainly an exciting time. We are excited about the future. Enjoy your weekend off, You've earned it, and thanks so much for sharing your insights and your time with us here once again on the Hornets Podcast.

Sam, thank you.

Sam, thank you.

That's going to do it for this edition of the Hornets I've cast are thanks again to Mitch Kupchuk for sitting down and joining us. Thanks to all of you for tuning in some of the upcoming events here on the AHHC will of course have you covered for summer league teams going to be headed off to Sacramento soon as well as Las Vegas. Thereafter, we'll give you game previews and reviews for all those contests, hopefully get some more conversations in with some of the coaching staff and members of that Hornet's summer league squad, including the first round picks who are next up on the docket here for us on the HC. Later on in the week, we will let you hear from the number two overall pick, Brandon Miller, as well as the number twenty seven overall pick Nick Smith Junior, the two Hornets first rounders we'll be joining us later this week on the Hornets Podcast. We look forward to bringing those conversations to you in the coming days. For now, with thanks to our producer Rob Longo for putting these podcasts together, to Mike Christaldi, Brian Travis, and the entire PR team of the Charlotte Hornts for making all of these conversations possible. To Mitch Kupcheck for sitting down for this entire episode. Most of all, to all of you for tuning in. I'm Sam Farber saying it's a pleasure and a privilege having you along. As always, we look forward to talking to you again next time right here on the Hornet Popecast.

That's going to do it for this edition of the Hornets I've cast are thanks again to Mitch Kupchuk for sitting down and joining us. Thanks to all of you for tuning in some of the upcoming events here on the AHHC will of course have you covered for summer league teams going to be headed off to Sacramento soon as well as Las Vegas. Thereafter, we'll give you game previews and reviews for all those contests, hopefully get some more conversations in with some of the coaching staff and members of that Hornet's summer league squad, including the first round picks who are next up on the docket here for us on the HC. Later on in the week, we will let you hear from the number two overall pick, Brandon Miller, as well as the number twenty seven overall pick Nick Smith Junior, the two Hornets first rounders we'll be joining us later this week on the Hornets Podcast. We look forward to bringing those conversations to you in the coming days. For now, with thanks to our producer Rob Longo for putting these podcasts together, to Mike Christaldi, Brian Travis, and the entire PR team of the Charlotte Hornts for making all of these conversations possible. To Mitch Kupcheck for sitting down for this entire episode. Most of all, to all of you for tuning in. I'm Sam Farber saying it's a pleasure and a privilege having you along. As always, we look forward to talking to you again next time right here on the Hornet Popecast.

Thank you for listening to the Hornets Hypecast, brought to you by Senta, the official i ere Nosen throatcare provider of the Charlotte Hornets. For more coverage, visit Hornets dot com.

Thank you for listening to the Hornets Hypecast, brought to you by Senta, the official i ere Nosen throatcare provider of the Charlotte Hornets. For more coverage, visit Hornets dot com.