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Cho: Hornets F McRoberts opts out of contract

By WTOP Staff

STEVE REED
AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Josh McRoberts is a free to play where he wants next season.

The Charlotte Hornets are hoping he’ll stay put.

McRoberts opted out of his contract with the Hornets on Wednesday making him a free agent, but general manager Rich Cho said the team hopes to bring back the 6-foot-10 power forward.

“He was a big part of our team and we definitely want to re-sign him,” Cho said at a pre-draft press conference at the team’s downtown arena. “He helped Kemba (Walker) and he helped Big Al (Jefferson). He’s such a great passer. He’s a connector to the team. And he’s a great teammate also. So we’re hoping we sign him.”

McRoberts, 27, was set to make nearly $2.8 million in the final year of his deal in 2014-15, but outperformed that contract.

He started a career-high 78 games last season for Charlotte and averaged 8.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.

The Hornets went 43-39 last season and made the playoffs for the first time since 2010. Cho is hoping to keep the young core of the team together while still adding pieces to the mix this offseason.

They should have the ammunition to do that.

With McRoberts opting out of his deal, the Hornets are nearly $16 million under the salary cap and have the ninth, 24th and 45th overall picks in next week’s NBA draft.

Cho said that gives the Hornets a lot of flexibility.

“We’re going to have options to trade up, trade back, trade out (out of the first round), trade for a veteran, keep the pick — a lot of different options,” Cho said.

Cho said he’s already fielded a lot of calls from teams interested in trading for those picks. He points out that nine NBA teams don’t have a first-round pick and five teams don’t have any draft picks at all.

“We have been getting a lot of calls and making a lot of calls,” Cho said.

When it comes time to pull the trigger on a trade, Cho will be making the call.

He previously shared personnel decisions with president of basketball operations Rod Higgins. But Higgins stepped down last week after seven seasons with the team leaving Cho in charge of all personnel moves.

Cho said the key for the Hornets is finding a balance between developing their rookies and the temptation to add veteran players and quickly take the next step.

“The last thing you want to do sacrifice your long-term flexibility for a short-term gain,” Cho said.

But there is also pressure to win.

Charlotte never won a playoff game in the 10 seasons they were called the Bobcats. Owner Michael Jordan changed its name back to the Hornets earlier this offseason.

Despite being swept by the Miami Heat in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, Cho believes the Hornets are “not that far away” from winning a playoff series and advancing in the postseason.

Cho said the Hornets front office has been busy preparing for the draft, working out 64 players over the last couple weeks with more visits planned for next week. He said the team’s scouts have filed more than 3,500 pages of reports on potential picks.

“We’re ready,” Cho said with a smile.

NOTES: The Hornets have hired Steve Hetzel as an assistant coach to replace Bob Beyer, who left to join the Detroit Pistons staff. Hetzel was coach of the D-League’s Canton Charge.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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