CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Hornets have placed the teams future personnel decisions in the hands of Rich Cho after Rod Higgins has stepped down as the teams president of basketball operations on Friday. Higgins had been with the team for the last seven years. Hornets owner Michael Jordan thanked Higgins in a statement. "Rod has been a consummate professional throughout his time with the team," Jordan said. "Thanks to his hard work and commitment, we have an improved roster and we are poised for success in the future. Rod was of great help to me as I navigated my first four years as majority owner of this franchise. I wish him all the best." Cho will remain in his capacity as general manager and assume responsibility for the teams basketball operations, according to a press release issued by the team. Cho will report to Jordan and vice chairman Curtis Polk. Cho declined comment through team spokesman Mike Cristaldi. The move comes two weeks before the NBA draft and what is expected to be a busy off-season for the Hornets. The Hornets have the ninth, 24th and 45th overall picks and more than $13 million to spend under the salary cap. Jordan has already said the team hopes to make a "big difference" in upgrading the roster this off-season. Higgins declined comment on the matter via text message to The Associated Press. Coach Steve Clifford, entering his second season with the Hornets, said he had a great working relationship with Higgins. "He helped me a lot -- helped our staff a lot. He is a terrific basketball guy and a great person, and were going to miss him," Clifford said. "With that being said, you know change is a big part of this league. We need to quickly focus and move forward and continue to build the right culture, roster, so we can be a good team year in and year out." When Jordan took over as part owner in Charlotte in 2006, Higgins was one of his first hires the following year. Hes long been one of Jordans most trusted friends. Jordan was a rookie in the 1984 when he joined the Chicago Bulls and became teammates with Higgins, a veteran forward at the time. After a 13-year NBA career, Higgins went on to work with Jordan as an assistant general manager with the Washington Wizards. Higgins later left the Wizards to become general manager of the Golden State Warriors before joining Jordan again in Charlotte. Cho was hired by Jordan in 2011 as Charlottes new general manager and Higgins title became president of basketball operations. From that time, the two shared player personnel duties and regularly appeared together and press conference to discuss personnel moves with the media. Clifford said hes confident Cho will do a great job moving forward. "Rich is very organized, on top of things," Clifford said. "I know well be prepared, we will be prepared for the draft, for free agency and you know just like we have in the past. I dont see that part being an adjustment at all. Weve been working together for a year." Jarrett Allen Nets Jersey . 42 sitting next to the bench. The 57-year-old with greying hair couldnt box out or grab a rebound, but owner Ted Leonsis waved his red towel and egged on a cheering crowd that chanted "Free Nene!" The Wizards did just fine without the suspended Brazilian forward. Taurean Prince Nets Jersey . Ricciardo made it only halfway around the Jerez track before his RB10 rolled to a stop and began spouting smoke from the back. After team mechanics tended to the car, Ricciardo went back out for a mere two trips around the circuit before calling it quits. https://www.netsrookiesshop.com/Caris-Le...Edition-Jersey/. MLB.com reported that the Dodgers locked the left-hander in for one year at $10 million with up to $4 million in incentives. Jaylen Hands Nets Jersey . Burris threw for 247 yards in one half of a game -- on pace for a nearly 500-yard outing -- as the Redblacks downed the woeful Montreal Alouettes 26-10 in CFL pre-season play Friday night at Percival Molson Stadium. Spencer Dinwiddie Jersey . Tony Parker had 33 points and nine assists and San Antonio never trailed in a resounding 116-92 victory over Portland, bullying the younger Trail Blazers in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.GREENBURGH, N.Y. - The coaching search is on in New York, and the best possible candidate has already been eliminated. Phil Jackson wont be hiring himself to coach the Knicks. Two days after firing Mike Woodson, Jackson reiterated Wednesday that he wont be returning to the bench, despite the fact that even fiancee Jeanie Buss told him he should. But Jackson, who retired from coaching in 2011 after winning an NBA-record 11 titles, said his body isnt up to doing the job. "Jeanie Buss was here with the Board of Governors last week and stayed through the weekend, and tried to encourage me to coach the team. And if theres anyone that can encourage me to do anything, its Jeanie Buss. But I was able to withstand her arguments the whole time," Jackson said at the Knicks training centre. So the new team president said hes looking for a leader with the personality and charisma to succeed in New York. He hopes to talk with Steve Kerr, the TNT analyst frequently mentioned as the leading candidate, sometime within the next month. "New York, I think, demands a personality, a person that the fans can believe in, a person that has some confidence, has the charismatic appeal, and I think has a forward-looking idea about the game," Jackson said. He believes Kerr, who played for him in Chicago and served as general manager of the Phoenix Suns, could be that person. He discussed Kerrs potential interest in coaching last year when a group was trying to buy the Sacramento Kings and move them to Seattle. Jackson was prepared to run their basketball operations if that happened. He and Kerr spoke again earlier this year about basketball, so Jackson is comfortable they share the same view of how the game should be played. "I know philosophically we have a strong connection. Whether hes able to take a job like this, I dont know," Jackson said. "I will get in a conversation with him later on this month and talk to him about and see where hes at as far as his desire to coach." Jackson saidd he didnt have a timetable beyond wanting a coach in place before the July summer league.dddddddddddd He has other candidates in mind, but said: "You dont want to know their names. I dont want you to have their names." Jacksons will always come up because of his coaching legacy. Madison Square Garden Chairman James Dolan first talked to Jackson around the holidays about coaching the team, but Jackson declined before they began discussing a management position. Jackson said Buss, whose family owns the Lakers, encouraged him to reconsider because it was "low risk" for him and a "do-what-you-know-best type of thing." But he said hes already made up his mind. "Right now I know physically what I can do," Jackson said. "Thats something that I dont think physically I can do." Jackson hopes Carmelo Anthony wont change his mind, either. Anthony plans to become a free agent this summer and has said he would take less than a maximum salary if it helped build a winning team. Jackson, noting that Tim Duncan and the Miami Heats Big Three had sacrificed salary in the past, said he would talk to Anthony about the benefits of doing the same. "Thats the beginning of team play," Jackson said. "Its really hard to just have one or two top stars, max players, and put together a team with enough talent. Youve got to have people making sacrifices financially, so we hope that Carmelo is true to his word, and we understand what its going to take and well present that to him at that time." The Knicks would have to pay Anthony more than $120 million over five years if he insisted on a max contract. Anthony was one of the only bright spots on a 37-45 team that missed the playoffs. The Knicks would like to keep him. "Im all about moving forward. Just deal with what is and move forward," Jackson said. "If its in the cards, man, are we fortunate. If its not in the cards, man, are we fortunate. Were going forward anyway." ' ' '