Warriors general manager Bob Myers was named the NBA Executive of the Year, the league announced Friday.
Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer, who is serving has the head of basketball operations in the absence of general manager Danny Ferry, finished third. He received four first-place, five second-place and one third-place votes for a total of 36 points.
Myers had 82 points with 13 first-place, five second-place and two third-place votes. In his third season as general manager, Myers presided over a roster with NBA’s best record (67-15) and the most successful regular season in franchise history.
Cavaliers general manager David Griffin finished second with 69 points.
A panel of 30 NBA executives voted on the award giving five points for each first-place, three points for each second-place and one point for each third-place vote.
Budenholzer was the Hawks’ nominee for the award with Ferry on an indefinite leave since September following the controversy that rocked the organization. Budenholzer was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year last month.
Budenholzer credited Ferry with assembling the current roster after the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported last month that he was the team nominee for the executive award.
“Anyone who has followed the Hawks for the last two or three years knows that Danny Ferry is the executive who is most responsible for the makeup of our team,” Budenholzer said. “Danny is responsible for me being here. Our team is in a good place. I’m very grateful to work with such good players and with such a great staff.”
Ferry took the leave following the discovery of racially insensitive remarks about free-agent target Luol Deng during a June conference call with team ownership and management. At that time, CEO Steve Koonin elevated Budenholzer to lead the basketball operations and make final decisions.
Also receiving votes were the Celtics’ Danny Ainge (16), Bulls Gar Forman (14), Trail Blazers Neil Olshey (14), Rockets’ Daryl Morey (8), Pistons’ Stan Van Gundy (5), Thunder’s Sam Presti (4), Pelicans’ Dell Demps (3), Timberwolves’ Flip Saunders (3), Bucks’ John Hammond (3), Lakers’ Mitch Kupchak (3), 76ers’ Same Hinkie (3), Grizzlies’ Chris Wallace (2), Jazz’s Dennis Lindsey (2), Spurs’ R.C. Buford (2) and Raptors’ Masai Ujiri (1).
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