Hawks Owner Tony Ressler is "seriously discussing" with President of Basketball Operations & coach Mike Budenholzer the possibility of Budenholzer "relinquishing his management title," according to sources cited by Adrian Wojnarowski of THE VERTICAL. Sources said that Budenholzer would "continue as coach and have a significant voice in player personnel, but could ultimately answer" to a new president or GM. Sources said that the Hawks are also "considering the removal" of GM Wes Wilcox, who yesterday met with ownership in L.A. to "discuss his future with the organization" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 5/3). In Atlanta, Chris Vivlamore notes the Hawks yesterday "denied" a report that the team and Wilcox have "parted ways." Several members of the organization, "including high-ranking officials, were unaware of such a personnel move" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 5/4). But ESPN.com's Goodman & Spears cited sources as saying that the Hawks are "expected to remove" Wilcox as GM. It is "not clear yet whether Wilcox will have another role with the team or won't return to the Hawks." Wilcox was promoted in June '15 from Assistant GM, where he "worked alongside" then-Hawks GM Danny Ferry, who "stepped down just after a 10-month leave of absence following the release of an audio recording of a conference call with ownership in which Ferry was heard repeating culturally insensitive comments from a scouting report about" then-free agent Luol Deng. Wilcox also was "disciplined by the team earlier this season after making a racially charged joke at a season-ticket holders event, for which he apologized" (ESPN.com, 5/3).
WHAT HAPPENED? In Atlanta, Jeff Schultz writes Ressler "gets low points for honesty, but a high grade for belatedly recognizing the obvious: The Hawks need change." Something "clearly is coming" with reports "hinting at a shakeup." Ressler has "made a U-turn." It was "less than two weeks ago when" he "expressed extreme confidence" in Budenholzer and Wilcox (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 5/4). Also in Atlanta, Mark Bradley notes what "appeared to be working" in '15, when the Hawks won 60 games, "no longer is." Bradley: "Appearances deceived. Tony Ressler got fooled. Now he’s trying to sort things out. Good luck with that" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 5/4).
