One week ago, the Atlanta Hawks announced the surprising firing of general manager Landry Fields. As part of the same announcement, the club revealed that it would begin the search for a new president of basketball operations, hiring Sportsology Group to captain that process. In the days since, a lot of chatter has taken place about Atlanta's process and candidates who could potentially fill the vacancy.
Marc Stein reports that Hawks governor Tony Ressler "has indicated that he is willing to pay the going rate for a top-tier and experienced lead decision-maker." That is, at least on paper, an encouraging framing, but individuals meeting the outlined qualifications are not available in droves, and here is a look four names that could be in the mix.
Bob Myers
Bob Myers, best known for his work as an executive with the Golden State Warriors, "has been mentioned as a potential target in Atlanta," according to a report from Marc Stein. At present, Myers is an analyst for ESPN, providing one obstacle, and Stein's reporting pointed to overall skepticism that Myers would jump to the Eastern Time Zone to take the job.
At the same time, he has an established track record that would check the boxes that the Hawks are seeking. Moreover, he is also a very big name in executive circles that would potentially appeal to Atlanta's ownership as the face of a new era.
Elton Brand
In the immediate aftermath of Landry Fields' dismissal, Elton Brand was the first prominent name tied to the opening from a reporting standpoint. Brand's most high-profile role as an NBA executive came with the Philadelphia 76ers, as he was part of a braintrust there prior to Daryl Morey's hire earlier this decade.
Brand also has ties to Atlanta, having played for the organization. He also has played under head coach Quin Snyder and alongside assistant general manager Kyle Korver. Brand is a highly respected name in league circles, but it is also crucial to note that his track record in Philadelphia was spotty in terms of on-court impact.
Grant Hill
Technically, Grant Hill is already part of the Hawks organization, as the former NBA All-Star owns a (very) small piece of the team after joining Ressler's ownership group during the bidding process. Still, Hill has his hands full between full-time analyst work on television and a well-documented stint running USA Basketball.
So, why is he on the list? Well, John Hollinger of The Athletic reports that "most plugged-in people think Ressler’s first choice to fill the job would be Hill, and that Hill would already have the job if he wanted it." Hollinger also noted that Ressler has sought counsel from Hill in the past, and perhaps there is a big enough financial number that might entice Hill into the roll on a permanent basis.
Onsi Saleh
Perhaps the most interesting option for the Hawks might be to simply not hire anyone else at all. Onsi Saleh was elevated to the general manager role in the wake of Fields' firing, and the Hawks immediately announced that he "will oversee all day-to-day basketball operations for the team."
Saleh joined the organization a year ago, arriving from Golden State, and he is one of the more appealing young executives in the NBA world. He does not bring the level of senior experience that Ressler has specifically outlined, but Saleh does have an appealing blend of analytical, strategic, and personnel qualifications. He has also been a part of the group that has made a couple of clearly positive decisions over the last year, headlined by the selection of Zaccharie Risacher and the trade to net Dyson Daniels as part of the return for Dejounte Murray.
It might take the Hawks "striking out" on bigger names for Saleh to retain the top role, but it is clealry within the realm of possibility. After all, the Hawks are showing a great deal of commitment to Saleh, with Ressler noting in an official release that any hire will be "partnering with Onsi and our talented front office" as a top priority. It speaks well of Saleh that is firmly entrenched to that degree.