If it’s not going to be Mike Budenholzer and Wes Wilcox running the show in Atlanta, who will it be?
Those two just stepped back from their jobs at the head of the Hawks’ basketball brain trust (stepped back being the kind way of putting it, they were pushed out), although both will remain with the organization (Budenholzer as coach). That leaves a power vacuum at the top that Atlanta will hire a search firm to help fill.
Of course, the NBA rumor mill abhors a vacuum, so already names are popping up. Via Marc Stein:
League sources say Joe Dumars and David Griffin are expected to emerge as candidates in the Hawks' search for a new lead front-office voice
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) May 5, 2017
Dumars, of course, played alongside Hawks minority owner Grant Hill in Detroit; Griffin was a Suns executive when Hill arrived in Phoenix
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) May 5, 2017
Those names are also interesting because they are rumored in other places as well. Dumars, the former Pistons GM, is rumored to be the guy the New Orleans Pelicans are looking at if Dell Demps is let go as GM. Griffin is currently under contract as the GM of the Cleveland Cavaliers but does not have a deal lined up for beyond this season, and Orlando is reportedly interested in talking to him.
If I were the agent for either of those men, I would love having my client mentioned in association with the Hawks because it puts pressure on those other teams to act.
There are a lot of questions to answer before a GM is hired, starting with how they get along with Budenholzer, but no matter now far along the process actually is the rumor mill is in full swing.