Ranking the 3 Moves That Made Jeff Peterson One of the NBA's Top Execs This Season

This past season was one of the most successful seasons in Charlotte Hornets basketball, which I know isn't saying much, given the past, but when you look at the year-over-year progress they made, it's hard to even wrap your brain around.

They went from one of the worst teams in the NBA to statistically, the best five-man lineup in the entire league for a three-month stretch. Sure, health certainly played a factor in the turnaround, but it goes well beyond that. The moves this team made last summer and then during the season is ultimately what helped them turn the corner in a big way.

For that, Hornets President of Basketball Operations Jeff Peterson finished in fourth place in the NBA's Executive of the Year voting, trailing only Brad Stevens, Salen Onsi, and Trajan Langdon.

Executive of the Year voting: 1st place votes-2nd place-3rd place-total points (in bold)

Brad Stevens (BOS): 11-4-2-69
Saleh Onsi (ATL): 1-10-6-41
Trajan Langdon (DET): 6-3-1-40
Jeff Peterson (CHA): 5-0-12-37
Sam Presti (OKC): 3-3-1-25
Brian Wright (SA): 2-2-1-17
Rafael Stone (HOU): 0-2-1-7
Brian Gregory (PHX): 0-2-0-6
Kolby Altman (CLE): 0-1-1-4
Josh Kroenke (DEN): 0-1-1-4
Zach Kleiman (MEM): 0-0-1-4
Rob Pelinka (LAL): 0-0-1-1

Ranking the best moves Peterson made

Apr 14, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Kon Knueppel (7) shoots at pregame warm ups against the Miami Heat during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

No. 1: Drafting Kon Knueppel

When he was drafted, the expectation was that he would be a nice complement to LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. He was much more than that. In many games, he led the team in scoring, hit the big shot that they needed, and made plays for his teammates down the stretch. Not to mention, he put together one of the best seasons we've seen from a rookie as far as shooting and efficiency go.

No. 2: Trading for Coby White

It's one thing to get a player of Coby's caliber, but to do it for the price of Collin Sexton, Ousmane Dieng (acquired in another trade), and three second-round picks is insanely cheap. White would start on most teams in the NBA, and here, he's the primary backup for LaMelo Ball, giving the Hornets a luxury off the bench.

No. 3: Forming a respectable center duo

I know this is a this-year type of award, so identifying Moussa Diabaté doesn't really count, but I do believe his play played a big part in winning over some of the voters. One of the toughest dudes in the NBA to keep off the offensive glass, and he gives relentless energy. Ryan Kalkbrenner certainly had some rough stretches and got bullied at times, but for a second-round pick, he more than lived up to expectations. He helped turn what most believed would be the weakest spot on the roster into a respectable center duo.

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