he New Orleans Hornets have identified a handful of potential candidates for their front-office vacancy created this week by the ouster of Jeff Bower. According to sources with knowledge of New Orleans' thinking, former Portland Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard has emerged as the Hornets' top target early on in the process. Other candidates on the Hornets' short list, sources said, are Tom Penn (Pritchard's former top aide in Portland), former Charlotte Hornets star Rex Chapman (currently an executive with the Denver Nuggets) and San Antonio Spurs vice president of basketball operations Dell Demps. The Hornets need permission from Denver and San Antonio, respectively, to interview Chapman or Demps. Sources said that longtime Phoenix Suns executive David Griffin might also be considered. NBA.com reported earlier Thursday that Hornets president Hugh Weber met with Warren LeGarie, Pritchard's agent, to discuss the job. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5384519
