Executive of the decade: Mike Budenholzer
There were four different executives that ran the operations of the Atlanta Hawks. Most maintained the organization’s playoff streak through most of the decade, but all but one playoff run ended in disappointment. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights of each executive this past decade.
Rick Sund (2010-12)
- Oversaw three straight playoff appearances, but none went past the first round.
- Moved on from coach Mike Woodson to Woodson’s assistant, Larry Drew
- Re-signed Joe Johnson to a six-year, $119 million contract
- Signed Al Horford to a five-year, $60 million extension.
- Let Jamal Crawford walk; but signed Tracy McGrady and Jerry Stackhouse in 2011
Danny Ferry (2012-14)
- Oversaw two straight playoff appearances
- Traded away Joe Johnson to clear salary
- Traded away Marvin Williams for Devin Harris
- Dumped coach Larry Drew for Mike Budenholzer
- Drafted Dennis Schroder
- Signed Paul Millsap and DeMarre Carroll
- Took an indefinite leave of absence in 2014
Mike Budenholzer (2014-17)
- Shared Danny Ferry‘s responsibilities with Wes Wilcox, but had final say in all basketball matters
- Oversaw three straight playoff appearances
- Oversaw team’s first-ever 60-win season
- Drafted DeAndre’ Bembry
- Traded for a 2018 first-round pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves (became Kevin Huerter)
- Signed Dwight Howard
Travis Schlenk (2017-present)
- Has yet to have a winning season or playoff appearance
- Started a complete rebuild in 2017
- Drafted John Collins in 2017
- Drafted Luka Doncic and Kevin Huerter in 2018; traded Doncic for Trae Young and a 2019 first-round pick from Dallas
- Drafted Cam Reddish, Jaxson Hayes and Marcos Louzada Silva in 2019; used Hayes, Silva and the rights to the No. 17 pick to trade for De’Andre Hunter; traded for Bruno Fernando in same draft
Rick Sund kept the team’s playoff streak intact at the beginning of the decade, but didn’t make a lot of impact moves to get the team past the first round. Danny Ferry tried to do more, but his time was short-lived with the organization.
That leaves the executive of the decade to Travis Schlenk and Budenholzer, who are different as night and day in how they manage the Atlanta Hawks.
Schlenk has made multiple trades and draft picks in his short tenure while Budenholzer tried to maintain the status quo. There has been such a difference in styles that only one player remains from Budenholzer’s time as general manager just three seasons later, DeAndre’ Bembry.
If Schlenk can continue to build upon the youth of the team, they will likely be big players in free agency over the next two summers with all the salaries other teams have dumped on Atlanta.
But at the end of the day Budenholzer was more successful as an executive and was wearing the head coach hat as well. Schlenk has a chance to be a prominent executive in the next decade, but the 2010s belonged to Budenholzer.