The Hawks plan to promote Mike Budenholzer to president and Wes Wilcox to general manager, according to several reports Thursday. Such moves, which would be made by new ownership, signal the official end of Danny Ferry’s tenure as general manager.
The Hawks declined comment on the report. According to a person familiar with the situation, neither Budenholzer nor Wilcox have been informed of changes in their role.
The sale of the Hawks and Philips Arena to a group led by Tony Ressler will be finalized next week. NBA Board of Governors received packets on the sale and will vote on final approval. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has previously reported the sale will be finalized on Wednesday. An official announcement will likely come the following day. According to NBA rules, new ownership cannot play a role in the operation of the team nor speak publically until the deal is finalized.
The Hawks have been for sale since September following the discovery of a 2012 email written by controlling owner Bruce Levenson that included racist remarks about the makeup of the fans and game operations.
That email was discovered as part of an internal investigation into remarks Ferry made during a conference call with ownership and management last June. Ferry made comments about free agent target Luol Deng, who later signed with the Heat, as part of the call. Ferry asked for and was granted an indefinite leave of absence in September. He missed all of the Hawks record-breaking season. The AJC also previously reported that several people within the organization did not expect Ferry to return and that his resignation was a likely scenario. He has two years remaining on the six-year, $18 million deal he signed in 2012.
Ferry has not commented publicly since a statement upon taking the leave of absence.
Budenholzer was about to enter the final of a three-year deal worth $5 million he signed when hired as head coach in 2013. He was due to make $2 million in the upcoming season.
Budenholzer, who won NBA Coach of the Year honors, served as the head of basketball operations during Ferry’s absence. Wilcox, the assistant general manager, and the basketball operations staff remained intact throughout the season. They will continue to function with the NBA draft next week and free agency to being July 1.
About the Author
