Hawks name Travis Schlenk as new GM

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Hawks hired Travis Schlenk as general manager and head of basketball operations Thursday, giving the former Golden State assistant GM control of personnel decisions.

Schlenk succeeds Wes Wilcox, who resigned May 5 as part of the restructuring of the Hawks’ front office.

Schlenk spent 12 years with the Warriors, who will make their third straight appearance in the NBA Finals starting next Thursday — the same day Schlenk officially takes over in Atlanta. Schlenk served as assistant to Golden State GM Bob Myers the past five years, and he spent two seasons as the team’s director of player personnel.

Now he has his first chance to have the final say on personnel moves for an NBA franchise.

Hawks principal owner Tony Ressler said Schlenk “is ready to lead our basketball operations at a critical time for making big decisions as we prepare for the 2017-2018 season and beyond.”

The NBA draft is June 22 in Brooklyn, N.Y., and free agency negotiations can begin July 1.

The Hawks have made 10 straight appearances in the playoffs but haven’t hung around very long most of the time — in the team’s only Eastern Conference finals appearance, Atlanta was swept by Cleveland in 2015. The Hawks’ win total has declined in the two seasons since, including a 43-39 finish this year.