The Atlanta Hawks surprised many when they decided to move on from General Manager Landry Fields earlier in the week, who had done a pretty good job of cleaning up the mess that was left behind when the Hawks decided to trade for Dejounte Murray. In Fields’ place, Onsi Saleh has been promoted to General Manager, as the club has begun a search for its next President of Basketball Operations, and they have some big fish in mind.
According to Marc Stein, the Hawks’ dream target is former Warriors executive Bob Meyers, the mastermind behind the Warriors’ run of four championships.
“Myers’ name has been mentioned as a potential target in Atlanta, too, and he has already worked closely with Saleh when both were with the Warriors… though it is hard in the extreme to picture the former Golden State shot-caller moving that far away from the West Coast,” Stein writes.Â
As Stein notes, Bob Meyers has a relationship with new Hawks General Manager Onsi Saleh, who worked under Meyers with the Warriors during the 2023 season.
It’s unknown whether Myers wants to get back into the game. He stepped down from the Warriors in 2023 and has since been working with ESPN as a basketball analyst while also serving in an advisory role for the Washington Commanders. If the Hawks were somehow able to land him, it would immediately become one of the biggest free agent signings in the organization’s history, a clear signal of a team that desires to win now, which Stein also notes.
“League sources tell The Stein Line that Hawks owner Tony Ressler has indicated that he is willing to pay the going rate for a top-tier and experienced lead decision-maker to manage the Hawks’ hopes for gradually taking their promising young core to legitimate Eastern Conference contention.”
Tony Ressler has infamously dodged the luxury tax at every turn during his tenure as the owner of the Hawks. He’s been heavily scrutinized for it and deservedly so. However, to lure any big-time GM to take over in Atlanta, it will require some semblance of a guarantee that the club plans to spend as much as possible in their pursuit of an NBA championship.
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