HoopsHype.com Rumors

Charlotte Bobcats President of Basketball Operations Rod Higgins announced today that the team has relieved Mike Dunlap of his duties as head coach. The search for his successor will begin immediately. “Rich Cho and I conducted our season-ending review and met with Coach Dunlap to reflect on this season. As an organization, it was decided that we needed to make a change with the head coach position,” Higgins said. “We want to thank Mike for his contribution and wish him the best in his future endeavors.” NBA.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Rich Cho, Rod Higgins, Mike Dunlap 

Players were asked in their exit interviews last week for a review of Dunlap’s coaching style. It’s unclear how much that factored in the decision to let him go. In a post-season interview with the Observer Friday, Dunlap said he had evolved as a coach this season. He noted that he had backed off on managing every aspect of games from the sideline and had shortened practices. “Whether it’s Kemba Walker or Brendan Haywood, they appreciate what you don’t say when the game is being played,’’ Dunlap said. “In college you can literally yell across the floor and direct traffic with a player and it’s perfectly acceptable. Here the pro player can’t stand that.’’ Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Brendan Haywood, Rich Cho, Rod Higgins, Kemba Walker, Mike Dunlap 

The Trail Blazers hired Chris McGowan as president on Monday. He replaces Larry Miller, who replaced Steve Patterson, who replaced Bob Whitsitt. Also, McGowan will work alongside general manager Neil Olshey, who replaced Rich Cho, who replaced Kevin Pritchard, who replaced Patterson, who replaced John Nash, who replaced Whitsitt. Point is, it hasn't felt easy to explain around here since Whitsitt left, has it? The hope here isn't that McGowan will walk on water, or help a basketball team that feels headed to another NBA Draft Lottery find a miracle way out of this mess. Rather, the hope is that McGowan can work closely enough with Olshey to end the convoluted decade of madness and again make the basketball, not the business (or some gobbled combination) feel like it's driving the bus again. Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, Kevin Pritchard, Larry Miller, Neil Olshey, Rich Cho, Steve Patterson, Bob Whitsitt, John Nash, Chris McGowan 

Michael Jordan apparently is stepping out of the way and letting GM Rich Cho call the shots. Long overdue, if you ask anyone who's watched Jordan bungle one personnel decision after another during his foray into the management/ownership side of the sport he once dominated as a player. If this doesn't work, he'll have someone to blame -- and fire -- other than himself. CBSSports.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Jordan, Rich Cho 

Gone within a year were Brown and his successor, Paul Silas, a pair of aging league stalwarts replaced by roll-of-the-dice hire Mike Dunlap, a 55-year-old rookie NBA coach. Higgins was promoted to Jordan's old position, president of basketball operations, working alongside his replacement, Rich Cho. "Every single one of those moves is evidence that Michael is serious about getting out of the way," a rival Eastern Conference GM says. "They are now going to succeed or fail with Rich. And I can guarantee you that Michael has made sure that Rich knows that." ESPN.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Jordan, Rich Cho, Mike Dunlap 

That same executive describes the 47-year-old Cho as a "Moneyball kind of guy," respected around the league for his involvement in the construction of the rosters of both Portland and Oklahoma City. According to Cho, when he left his job as the Trail Blazers GM to come to Charlotte 15 months ago, his marching orders from Jordan were simple and specific -- build through the draft and get free agents to complement the youngsters and put them over the top. The old Jordan, by his own admission, believed that if he cleared enough cap space, he could personally lure the likes of Chris Paul and Dwight Howard. But as he learned last year, even "MJ" appearing on their caller IDs wasn't enough to offset the lure of LA. ESPN.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Jordan, Rich Cho, Mike Dunlap 

The group will conduct several sports workshops with local youth before leaving Friday. Three of the envoys arrived this weekend and the last one is due to fly into Yangon later Sunday. The group includes Charlotte Bobcats basketball team manager Richard Cho, a Myanmar native who migrated to the United States. Also traveling are Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Darvin Ham, former Women's National Basketball Association player Allison Feaster and former NBA player Marty Conlon. NBA.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Business, Rich Cho 

Rick Bonnell: I'm told Miller played a behind-the-scenes role in Rich Cho joining #Bobcats, after Paul Allen abruptly fired Cho. Twitter

Charlotte Bobcats, Portland Trail Blazers, Michael Jordan, Paul Allen, Larry Miller, Rich Cho, Owners 

Marc J. Spears: CLE free agent F Antawn Jamison had a good dinner meeting in his hometown of Charlotte with Bobcats execs Rod Higgins and Rich Cho tonight. Twitter

Charlotte Bobcats, Free Agency, Antawn Jamison, Rich Cho, Rod Higgins 

Tom Withers: CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) _ Bobcats general manager Rich Cho says it will take "something enticing" for the team to trade away No. 2l pick. Twitter

Charlotte Bobcats, Draft, Trade, Rich Cho 

Corey Maggette: Appreciate the bobcats and micheal Jordan for being In charlotte love the fans and city thank u. Bj Evans rod rich cho Dennis Williams thx Twitter

Charlotte Bobcats, Golden State Warriors, Corey Maggette, Rich Cho 

Marc James: Same NBA Source told me Michael Jordan is giving Rich Cho Full Autonomy on Trades, Draft Decisions, Free Agency, etc. Things are looking up. Twitter

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Jordan, Rich Cho 

This is Charlotte Bobcats general manager Rich Cho’s baby, an Internet-friendly system that took six months and a six-figure cost to develop. Now it evolves daily and gets put to the test in Thursday night’s NBA draft, when the Bobcats select second and 31st following a 7-59 season. Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Draft, Rich Cho 

Cho’s system has all the basics you’d expect: Player contracts, statistics that can be used to compare Bobcats players’ development to others’, any potential bonuses that could complicate trade discussions. But beyond that, this is a function of Cho’s self-description as “a big information hound.” Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Trade, Rich Cho 

A source familiar with the process said Dunlap was offered the job Monday night, after interviewing in Charlotte with owner Michael Jordan, vice chairman Curtis Polk, president of basketball operations Rod Higgins and general manager Rich Cho. He has accepted. Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Jordan, Coaching, Rich Cho, Rod Higgins, Mike Dunlap, Curtis Folk 

Rod Higgins and Rich Cho understand that the Bobcats need more than just a talented rookie, whether it be Bradley Beal, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Harrison Barnes, Thomas Robinson or even Andre Drummond -- to make the Bobcats competitive from their laughingstock of a season. CBSSports.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Draft, Trade, Rich Cho, Rod Higgins 

Cho won't say anything bad about the Blazers or owner Paul Allen, but he can't help but feel bitter. What began with such promise after a four-hour interview on a yacht in Helsinki ended with a phone call from President Larry Miller telling him it was over almost before it started, with little or no explanation. "It wasn't the right fit," Cho says. "I'm in a great place now." Portland Tribune

Charlotte Bobcats, Portland Trail Blazers, Paul Allen, Larry Miller, Rich Cho 

Higgins and Cho share front-office duties. Though he is too modest to admit it, Cho is the point man on virtually everything, including the draft, free agency, putting together a summer-league team and the hiring of a coach. "Rod has been wonderful to work with," Cho says. "We complement each other really well. He has a smart basketball mind." Cho is mindful of not trying to take credit for Charlotte's front-office decisions. He wants everyone working toward a common goal. "It was a team effort in OKC," he says. "One of the things Sam always preached -- and I really believe in, too -- is teamwork. That's something I've instilled here with the Bobcats." Portland Tribune

Charlotte Bobcats, Rich Cho, Rod Higgins 

The Charlotte Bobcats have narrowed their list of head coaching candidates to Jerry Sloan, Brian Shaw and Quin Snyder, according to league sources. After going through an initial interview with Charlotte executives Rod Higgins and Rich Cho, each of the three candidates will meet with Bobcats owner Michael Jordan within the next week or so. ESPN.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Jordan, Coaching, Brian Shaw, Jerry Sloan, Rich Cho, Rod Higgins, Quin Snyder 

The Charlotte Bobcats had a 25% chance of landing the top pick in Wednesday’s NBA Draft Lottery, but the worst winning percentage in NBA history wasn’t enough to earn the right to draft Kentucky’s Anthony Davis. Obviously the odds were stacked against Charlotte—just as they are against every team—but that wasn’t any consolation to Bobcats general manager Rich Cho. “From a competitive standpoint you want number one,” Cho told HOOPSWORLD, “but we’re going to get a really good player at number two.” HoopsWorld

Charlotte Bobcats, Draft, Rich Cho, Anthony Davis