Travis Schlenk is in charge of decisions related to the Hawks’ basketball operations.
There should be no doubt.
The Hawks presented their new general manager at a Philips Arena news conference on Friday. The team made the hire last week, and Schlenk officially began his tenure with the introduction.
It is important to note that Schlenk’s title includes head of basketball operations. Yes, principal owner Tony Ressler will sign off on major decisions. However, Schlenk was hired with a championship pedigree to continue this franchise’s goal of winning an NBA title.
Schlenk will have many decisions to make from the start, with the NBA Draft coming later this month and the start of free agency to follow. Power forward Paul Millsap will be an unrestricted free agent, and re-signing the four-time All-Star, perhaps to a maximum contract, will be the first step in the new direction of the franchise.
“Listen, he runs basketball operations,” Ressler told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution when asked if he will have final say in a decision on Millsap. “I did not bring him in here for me to make basketball decisions. I hope that is as clear as I can be. Yes, every ownership has to sign off on numbers, on (salary) caps, on (luxury) tax. Yes, I will sign off on the business. I promise you I did not bring Travis in here so I can make basketball decisions.”
Schlenk was hired after 12 years with the Warriors, including the last five as assistant general manager. The opening was created last month. Mike Budenholzer relinquished his title of president of basketball operations and remains as head coach. Wes Wilcox relinquished his title as general manager and remains as a special advisor to ownership. The relationship between the two was tenuous at times.
“Free agency comes every year,” Schlenk said of the decision on Millsap, who is eligible for a projected five-year, $205 million deal from the Hawks or a four-year, $152 million deal from another team. “Paul, obviously, is a four-time All-Star. Arguably, the best player on this team. Probably is the best player on this team. That’s going to be a priority. But, for me, right now I’ve got to get with Coach Bud and his staff and my front-office staff and over the next three weeks, we’ve got to hammer out a plan for the future. Certainly, Paul is going to be a priority in that.”
Ressler said Schlenk was chosen from a group of between eight and 10 candidates. He said he was joined by co-owners Grant Hill, Rick Schnall and Steven Price and that Schlenk quickly distinguished himself in the interview process. Ressler added he was pleased that the hiring process ended quickly to give Schlenk a good amount of time to be on the job ahead of the draft and free agency.
Ressler pointed to three standout qualities in Schlenk. He credited his leadership experience and role in transforming the Warriors to a championship franchise. He acknowledged the intimate knowledge of a basketball operations after Schlenk started as a video intern and worked his way through the department. Finally, Ressler was impressed with the collaborative nature and approach to management.
“He separated himself in our discussions in both his technical skills and his understanding of what it takes to build a great franchise,” Ressler said of Schlenk.
Schlenk said he learned his craft under the tutelage of many talented basketball minds. He cited many names, including Chuck Daly and John Gabriel with the Magic, Pat Riley and Stan Van Gundy with the Heat and Don Nelson, Chris Mullin, Jerry West and the current ownership and management with the Warriors.
Schlenk said he learned three main keys to success that he intends to bring to the Hawks — maintaining roster and salary-cap flexibility, accumulating assets and developing your own talent.
It’s a message he plans to pass up and down the organization.
“We are going to be extremely communicative from the top down, from ownership all the way down to the bottom of basketball operations,” Schlenk said. “Everyone is going to know what our goal is. They are going to know how they fit in that role, and we are all going to be pulling on the rope in the same direction.”
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