NBA executives are responsible for important roles such as managing and guiding the operations. While their responsibilities differ according to their specific designation, their main task is to oversee basketball operations, business activities, and long-term goals. The New York Times canvassed 40 executives across the league, including presidents, vice presidents, general managers, and assistant general managers to rank the NBA’s top front offices. The NBA has 30 front offices, one for each of the league’s teams.
Of course, the execs can’t vote for their own team. Each exec ranked their top five. Points were allocated similar to NBA MVP voting – 10 points for the first rank, 7 points for the second, five points for the third place, three points for the fourth, and only one point for the fifth. After the voting was completed, one team won by a landslide.
Oklahoma City Thunder (Image via Getty)
Points: 354
Governor: Clayton Bennett
General manager: Sam Presti
Head coach: Mark Daigneault
The team got 29 first places and nine-second places during the voting. It also appeared on 39 ballots. With talents like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a high-scoring offensive player, and Alex Caruso, a veteran defensive stopper, OKC is one of the most popular teams. Originally established as Seattle SuperSonics, the front office already has a strong foundation that maintained a healthy environment even after transitioning to Oklahoma.
Sam Presti took over the front office in 2007, during the SuperSonics days. And it’s safe to say Presti has proven himself throughout the years. OKC’s draft strategy is one of the best in the NBA. They have a history of acquiring draft picks from other teams, even if it means taking on bad contracts. They have 11 different organizations’ draft picks, accounting for 37% of the NBA’s total.
Boston Celtics (Image via Getty)
Points: 250
Governor: Wyc Grousbeck
President of basketball operations: Brad Stevens
Head coach: Joe Mazzulla
Boston Celtics won second place after falling 104 points short of OKC. It got nine first places, 19 second places, and appeared on 35 ballots. Founded in 1946, Celtics is one of the oldest teams in the NBA. While Brad Stevens has only been in charge for three seasons, the front office’s infrastructure has been there for a long time.
Miami Heat (Image via Getty)
Points: 114
Governor: Micky Arison
President: Pat Riley
Head coach: Erik Spoelstra
While Miami Heat didn’t rank first a single time, it was voted second place seven times and also got third place ten times. Additionally, the team appeared on 24 ballots. The front office is known for its longevity and consistency with a number of long-tenured executives including Pat Riley, who has been the President since 1995.
Andy Elisburg, Riley’s deputy, has been with the Heat even longer than Riley and is regarded as one of the league’s most respected executives. The assistant general manager joined the front office in 1995 and the Vice President of player personnel, Eric Amsler has been there for 21 seasons. All those years of working together have given them remarkable results.
Memphis Grizzlies (Image via Getty)
Points: 64
Governor: Robert Pera
President of basketball operations: Zach Kleiman
Head coach: Taylor Jenkins
The Memphis Grizzlies received one first-place vote and one second-place vote, on top of appearing on 15 ballots. Zach Kleiman won the league’s Executive of the Year award in 2022, after the Grizzlies won 56 games, indicating a quick recovery from the Grit ‘N’ Grind period. They are mainly popular for their smart acquisitions as they make late drafts and value signings.
While the team marketing is small, they signed their star players Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr through late drafting. The roster is full of underappreciated and overlooked talents. Despite the many rotation injuries, the Grizzlies are 7-4 and sit sixth in a competitive Western Conference.
Minnesota Timberwolves (Image via Imagn)
Points: 54
Governor: Glen Taylor
President of basketball operations: Tim Connelly
Head coach: Chris Finch
The Minnesota Timberwolves got one first-place vote, two second-place votes, and appeared on 15 ballots. Their front office is known for making smart moves. Ever since joining the team in 2022, Tim Connelly has made big, risk-taking moves. He traded for Rudy Gobert and built an environment for Anthony Edwards to grow. His boldness has earned the respect and admiration of his peers.
It’s also worth mentioning that the Timberwolves had a fantastic season, winning the most regular season games in 20 years and advancing to the Western Conference finals.
New York Knicks (Image via Getty)
Points: 41
Governor: James Dolan
President: Leon Rose
Head coach: Tom Thibodeau
The New York Knicks got three third-place votes, seven fourth-place votes, and appeared on 15 ballots. While the front office consists of some of the best talents in all of sports, a lot of them don’t get the recognition they deserve. Brock Aller, the vice president of basketball and strategic planning, is the unsung architect of Manhattan basketball’s current state.
The 39-year-old Aller was included in The Athletic’s 40 under 40 list of young managers, coaches, executives, and influencers. The Knicks have seen a massive turnaround under the leadership of Leon Rose ever since he took over in March 2020. Almost all of the front office’s decisions prior to this season have been successful. They also formed the best Knicks team in a generation by combining connections, savvy, and intelligence.
Orlando Magic (Image via Getty)
Points: 33
Governor: Dan DeVos
President of basketball operations: Jeff Weltman
Head coach: Jamahl Mosley
The Orlando Magic received one second-place vote and three third-place votes, on top of appearing on 9 ballots. The Magic’s commercial practices have changed under the CEO, Alex Martins’ leadership. The 2022-2023 season was the team’s most successful business year thanks to the efforts of the front office.
Another key exec in Magic is Jeff Weltman, who was appointed president of basketball operations in 2017. Since his joining, the Magic made it to the postseason in consecutive seasons in 2018-19 and 2019-20 for the first time in eight years. During his second season in Orlando, the Magic won the Southeast Division title for the first time since 2009–10 and secured a spot in the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 2012.
Cleveland Cavaliers (Image via Getty)
Points: 30
Governor: Dan Gilbert
President of basketball operations: Koby Altman
Head coach: Kenny Atkinson
The Cleveland Cavaliers got three third-place votes, and four fourth-place votes, and appeared on ten ballots. Since LeBron James’ departure in 2018, the Cavaliers have gradually climbed the Eastern Conference ladder. Their 21-4 record through 25 games suggests that they may just reach the top this season. This is their best start in team history.
After acquiring Donovan Mitchell in September 2022, the front office had a major goal: get him to sign an extension. This summer, Mitchell agreed to a contract to keep him in Cleveland until the 2026-27 season, with a player option for the following year.
Golden State Warriors (Image via Getty)
Points: 21
Governor: Joe Lacob
General manager: Mike Dunleavy Jr.
Head coach: Steve Kerr
The Golden State Warriors received one second-place vote, two third-place votes, and appeared on five ballots. While the front office isn’t what it used to be half a decade ago, they have still managed to rejuvenate the Stephen Curry led roster by adding new and young talents. Led by general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., the front office has added seasoned veterans and young players like Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis.
The team has yet to reach the heights it did half a decade ago, but they are off to a good start this season. Dunleavy, executive VP of basketball operations Kirk Lacob, assistant general manager/director of player personnel Larry Harris, and a slew of young front-office staffers have rebuilt the roster around Curry and Draymond Green.
Also read: Top 30 most valuable NBA teams of 2024
San Antonio Spurs (Image via Getty)
Points: 14
Governor: Peter J. Holt
General manager: Brian Wright
Head coach/president: Gregg Popovich
With two third-place votes, one fourth-place vote, and an appearance on four ballots, the San Antonio Spurs managed to snag its place in the list of top 10 front offices in the NBA. As a team with five NBA champion cups under its belt, it has a huge history of success. The team won the championships in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014, so it’s safe to say it has maintained its consistency over the decades.
The front office has recently taken measures to improve their roster. Hence, they selected Victor Wembanyama with the first pick in the 2023 draft and announced that Manu Ginobili will rejoin the Spurs as a special advisor to basketball operations.
