After playoff loss, Hawks pondering front office changes

ATLANTA >> After a disappointing season ended with a first-round playoff loss, the Atlanta Hawks are evaluating possible changes in their front office.

The current setup, in which coach Mike Budenholzer has authority over personnel matters with assistance from general manager Wes Wilcox, could be facing a shake-up.

There was even a report Wednesday that Wilcox had been fired, which was denied by the team.

“Hawks leadership is undergoing a period of evaluation and looking at how basketball operations works best,” the statement said. “There are no changes to report at this time and any reports indicating otherwise are inaccurate.”

It seems likely that changes are coming, especially after the Hawks dipped to 43-39 this season and lost to the Washington Wizards in the opening round. The season ended with a 16-point loss on Atlanta’s home court in Game 6.

Budenholzer was promoted to president of basketball operations after a 60-win season in 2014-15, when the Hawks earned the top seed in the East and reached the conference final before getting swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Budenholzer moved up after the team parted ways with general manager Danny Ferry, who largely assembled the roster with a number of deft trades and signings, only to be forced out by racially charged comments he made on a conference call about prospective free agent Luol Deng.

Wilcox was promoted to general manager, but the team hasn’t come close to duplicating the success it had two seasons ago.

Clippers, Doc Rivers bracing for wild offseason

PLAYA VISTA >> The Los Angeles Clippers and coach Doc Rivers are settling could be a wild offseason.

After another disappointing playoff exit — this time a first-round loss to Utah in seven games — the Clippers have a lot of work to do.

Will the Clippers could blow up the core of the team and rebuild? Will the “Big Three” of Chris Paul, Griffin and DeAndre Jordan be broken up, with Griffin and Paul set to become free agents.

“I don’t know. I think they deserve a chance to win. They have built this legacy. I do believe that,” Rivers said Wednesday. “Whether that’s what we decide to do that or not. There’s a big part of me that believes (in them). These guys are responsible for the birth of our franchise in a lot of ways. They consider themselves Clippers . ... I would love them to shepherd that through. Whether that happens or not, it’s too early to make all those decisions or they’ll make them for us. But I do have a strong believe in that.” in for what

The Clippers have yet to make the Conference Finals.

J.J. Redick also is a free agent, and Richard Mbah a Moute has an option.

The inability to beat the Jazz provided evidence for Rivers heading into free agency.

“We need length,” Rivers said. “We need more length and two-way players. Again, that’s easy to say. Little harder to do with the way our contracts are. We may continue to do what we’ve done or we may decide to change our contracts and have more flexibility.”

Lakers’ Deng has surgery on pectoral muscle

Western Luc EL SEGUNDO >> Los Angeles Lakers forward Luol Deng has undergone surgery to repair his right pectoral muscle.

The Lakers announced Wednesday.

The veteran is expected to be recovered well before the start of training camp. Deng’s surgery