Danny Ainge wins NBA Executive of the Year award
InsideHoops.com NewsWire | May 14, 2008
 Sporting News has named Boston Celtics Executive Director,
Basketball Operations and General Manager, the 2007-08 NBA Executive of the
Year.
Sporting News polled general managers and other executives from all 30
teams, and Ainge received 18 of the 47 votes cast. He beat out Los Angeles
Lakers general manager, Mitch Kupchak, who had 14 votes, and New Orleans
Hornets general manager Jeff Bower who had 12.
“He orchestrated a stunning and record setting turnaround of a struggling
team with two great trades and various other roster acquisitions.” said
Brian Colangelo, President and General Manager of the Toronto Raptors and
the 2005 Executive of the Year.
Pat Williams, Senior Vice President of the Orlando Magic added, “Ainge was
the architect of the most dramatic NBA turnaround ever.”
Danny Ainge is the first member of the Boston Celtics to receive the
Executive of the Year award since its inception in the 1972-73 season.”
Stan McNeal, Sporting News NBA writer, will present the Executive of the
Year award to Danny Ainge prior to Wednesday’s game 5 of the Eastern
Conference Quarterfinals between the Celtics and Cavaliers.
BRYAN COLANGELO WINS 2007 NBA EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR
May 14, 2007
Toronto Raptors President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo has been named the NBA Executive of the Year for the 2006-07 season, The Sporting News announced Monday.
In his first full season at the helm of the Raptors, Colangelo rebuilt the roster retaining just six players from the 2005-06 15-man unit. He made three trades, acquiring guard T.J. Ford from Milwaukee, forward Kris Humphries from Utah and centre Rasho Nesterovic from San Antonio, and signed free-agent starters forward Jorge Garbajosa and guard-forward Anthony Parker. He also resigned NBA All-Star Chris Bosh to a long term deal.
Colangelo’s revamping of the roster began to take shape when the Raptors won the annual NBA Draft Lottery, giving the franchise the top overall pick for the first time in team history. He made NBA history by taking Benetton Treviso forward Andrea Bargnani with the selection, marking the first time a European player had been tabbed with the top pick.
The Raptors improved by 20 wins over the 2005-06 season to tie a franchise high with 47 victories. They also captured their first divisional title winning the Atlantic and returned to the postseason after a five year absence gaining home court for the first time in franchise history.
Colangelo also won this award in 2004-05 while serving as the president and general manager of the Phoenix Suns. He revamped a Suns team that finished with a league-best 62-20 mark after posting a 29-53 record in 2003-04.
This is the fifth executive of the year honour garnered by the current Raptors basketball operations management. Senior Basketball Advisor Wayne Embry captured The Sporting News award in 1992 and 1998 and Executive Vice President and Assistant General Manager Maurizio Gherardini was named Italy’s Legabasket Executive of the Year in 2006. In addition, this is the sixth time The Sporting News Executive of the Year award has been won by the Colangelo family. Jerry Colangelo, Bryan’s father, earned the award an unequaled four times with the Phoenix Suns (1976, 1981, 1989 and 1993). Bryan joins Bob Bass (San Antonio in 1990 and Charlotte in 1997) and Jerry West (Los Angeles Lakers in 1995 and Memphis Grizzlies in 2004) as the only multiple winners with different franchises.
Colangelo received 29 of the 45 votes cast by his fellow executives. Houston’s Carroll Dawson finished second with nine votes while seven other executives received votes for the award.
2006 NBA Executive of the Year
May 17, 2006
Los Angeles Clippers Vice President of Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor was today named NBA Executive of the Year by the Sporting News. In voting by 45 NBA executives, Baylor received 15 votes which nearly doubled the eight votes given to Toronto’s Bryan Colangelo, who finished second in the voting.
Under Baylor’s direction, the Clippers assembled a deep and talented roster that finished the regular season with a 47-35 record to post the most wins since the 1974-75 season. The Clippers also qualified for the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons and have advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals.
With a talented nucleus of Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, Chris Kaman and Shaun Livingston already in place, Baylor signed free agent shooting guard Cuttino Mobley and traded for veteran point guard Sam Cassell prior to the 2005-06 campaign in a pair of moves that proved instrumental to the Clippers success. Baylor also swung a midseason trade for forward Vladimir Radmanovic, who gave the Clippers the long-distance threat it needed to stretch opposing defenses.
An 11-time NBA All-Star and a 10-time All-NBA First Team selection as a player, Baylor adds the NBA Executive of the Year Award to his legendary list of basketball accolades. A member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, Baylor was also named NBA Rookie of the Year in 1959 and holds the NBA Finals single-game record for points in a game, with 61 points in the 1962 NBA Finals versus the Boston Celtics.
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