The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Strong recommendation
Hawks new general manager Travis Schlenk receives a nice endorsement from an NBA legend,
Good eye as a scout
Travis Schlenk won’t be bringing Kevin Durant, Steph Curry or Klay Thompson with him. But he is known as a strong talent evaluator and has been around a winning championship environment and some smart basketball people. He’s also done every job imaginable, including working as director of basketball operations at Georgia (1998-99) during the forgettable Ron Jirsa era.
Why he left a winning franchise
He told to a Bay Area radio station it was not an easy decision to leave Golden State. Schlenk: “But if I was going to leave, it starts with ownership . ... After meeting (Atlanta’s) ownership group and spending time with them on the phone and in person I feel real confident and comfortable with these guys and their desire to do what it takes to make the Hawks a competitive team for years to come.
“They’ve dumped a lot of money here. They are putting $200 million into the arena here. They’ve got a new state-of-theart practice facility that is going to open up this fall. What made me take a long, hard look at this job and ultimately decide to come on here is the ownership group.”
He’s well respected around NBA
Golden State general manager Bob Myers: “He’s one of the bright, young executives in the league and someone who has played a major role in our success over the last several years. His attention to detail, leadership ability and work ethic are traits that will serve him well in his new role with the Hawks. They are fortunate to have him and will benefit greatly from his presence in the organization.”
Top priority: Millsap
A top priority for Schlenk will be negotiations to re-sign the team’s top player, fourtime All-Star forward Paul Millsap, a free agent. The NBA draft is June 22, and the Hawks hold three picks. Schlenk said he plans to talk to player agents. The Hawks have six other unrestricted free agents and Tim Hardaway Jr. is a restricted free agent. Schlenk told the Bay Area radio station last week he is not a fan of long-term or taking on bad contracts.
GM happy to have coach in place
Before the official announcement of his hire, Schlenk had dinner with coach Mike Budenholzer. The two met again Thursday to “get his thoughts on the roster, what style he wants to play, what pieces he wants to add.” Schlenk added, “We’ve got a good coach in place.” That is a big relief for a new general manager.