2024 Executive of the Year Award
Aug 17, 2024 19:11:07 GMT
Bryan Colangelo, Jared Montini, and 9 more like this
Post by Andrei Kirilenko on Aug 17, 2024 19:11:07 GMT
2024 Executive of the Year
Commissioner's Address
First off, I want to thank every General Manager in the league for your activity and participation during the inaugural season of Hardwood Hoops. It is a testament to our community and brotherhood that we were able to so smoothly transition to a new league after the end of D5. I might be the one simming the games, but this league would die without the active participation and buy-in from its community; so, thank you!
The first season of any league is undoubtedly the most tumultuous. Starting with real-life rosters, many GMs feel the need to “make their mark” on the team by shaking things up. The first season sets the stage for the next several, as GMs decide which direction their team is going and what foundational assets they are betting on to get them there. As of writing this, we had 81 trades accepted this year, but roughly half of those were in the first month of the season. The inaugural Trade Committee did a fantastic job in monitoring these trades and sent 10 to the rejection pile- which is as many trade as were rejected in the past 3 D5 seasons combined! This forward-looking focus on the health of the league was pivotal during our inaugural season, and I thank the Trade Committee for their time, effort, and willingness to make tough decisions.
These decisions did not come without a price; perhaps my toughest act as commissioner this year was the for-cause firing of Ben Wallace. From what I can gather, this is an act that only ever happened once in the history of D5, and coincidentally it was for the same GM. This decision sparked reflection on the unique social contract that governs our transactions, and how large value differences in trades do not only impact the two teams involved, but rather every team in the league.
The Pistons were not the only ones making to look big moves this season. We saw the Celtics trade Jaylen Brown for youth; Lebron James joined Steph Curry but failed to make the playoffs; Tyrese Haliburton and DeAaron Fox were reunited in Indiana; Victor Wembanyama got a running mate in Cade Cunningham (or did he?); and, of course, Amare Stoudemire alone accounted for 22 accepted trades (not to mention 7 rejected trades involved Amare). That’s almost 1/3rd of the total trades this season!
As the season progressed, the competitive landscape got a little clearer. The Cavs and Celtics emerged as the frontrunners in the East, and the Clippers and Pelicans emerged in the West. However, an extremely active trade deadline shook up this landscape, and there were some great unknowns entering the playoffs. The Bucks and Spurs both rattled off 8 straight wins just before the post-season. The Suns had a new supporting cast to support Durant and Booker and surged to the 5 seed. The Nuggets seemingly righted the ship with the addition of CJ McCollum, and the 76ers had Joel Embiid return from injury. Despite the certainty of the top teams all season, it seemed like these late-season upstarts could make some noise in the postseason. As we saw, however, Cleveland turned out to be a truly dominant defensive team and put on a 3-loss playoff run! Congrats again to Arvydas Sabonis for an incredible season and championship!
As we enter the offseason, GMs have a better understanding of their position in the world and what it is going to take to turn their teams into a contender. We have an exciting new Restricted Free Agency rule to navigate this offseason, along with a crunched 140% hard cap and minimum-contract cap holds for roster limits. Next year, we will see first-round draft pick cap holds take effect as well, which will squeeze teams’ cap space even further. With new challenges comes new opportunity, and it seems clear to me that the strategies that worked in D5 will need to be revised in order to build a sustainable contender in Hardwood Hoops.
As we reflect on our inaugural season and dream about the future, let’s all take a moment to appreciate what we have here: a wonderful, unique, and sometimes incredibly frustrating community in which we can express our love of basketball and escape to a reality that we have built on our own. Thank you for playing your part, and here’s to many more seasons!
With that, I will now present to you the 2024 Hardwood Hoops Executive of the Year!
Executive of the Year
1st Place - Arvydas Sabonis
Out: Jarrett Allen, Darius Garland, Max Strus, Isaac Okoro, Pick 30 (Pacome Dadiet), 2025 1st Round Pick, 2027 1st Round Pick
In: Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner, Collin Sexton, Alex Caruso, Aaron Nesmith, Larry Nance Jr, Pick 27 (Ryan Dunn)
As if there was any doubt about it, the 2024 Executive of the Year is Arvydas Sabonis! Under the leadership of Sabonis, the Cavaliers ended the season with the best record in Hardwood Hoops and a Championship Trophy following a dominant playoff run. Every move that Sabonis made this year was crafted specifically with that goal in mind, including trading a future draft pick for sim-god Alex Caruso, picking up Pascal Siakam for Darius Garland, or quietly filling his bench with under-the-radar buildology players like Nerlens Noel, Edmond Sumner, and Gary Payton II. Sabonis recognized quickly that he had a winning formula after swapping Jarrett Allen for Myles Turner at the start of the league, and had the restraint and patience to not mess with something that was working. While other GMs were focused on putting their marks on their teams during the inaugural season, Sabonis was perhaps the one GM in the league willing to singularly commit to winning a championship: while others were zigging, the Cavs recognized that it was a good time to zag. This commitment even extended to the stockwatch section, with a strategic posting of three 76ers players just before the deadline. Sabonis was truly playing a different game than most GMs this season, and now has a Championship Trophy and EOTY Award to show for it. Congrats to Arvydas Sabonis on dominating the first season of Hardwood Hoops!
2nd Place - Jared Montini
Out: Josh Giddey, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, Pick 25 (DaRon Holmes), 2025 1st Round Pick
In: Brandon Ingram, Jakob Poeltl, Dorian Finney Smith, Keon Ellis, Cody Williams (Pick 11)
The Thunder undoubtedly possessed one of the most asset-rich rosters to start the league, but the brilliance of Jared Montini’s management this season has increased his stockpile even further. Jared had the foresight and vision to strategically trade Josh Giddey early on this year, and showed unwavering patience in letting the Atlanta 1st mature, which ultimately culminated in the addition of 26-year-old star Brandon Ingram at the trade deadline. Perhaps most impressive is that Ingram joins the roster while keeping his core Big 3 in-tact. And as if his initial squad was not enough, Jared added more value than nearly any other GM this year in free agency by picking up Dorian Finney-Smith and Keon Ellis. Despite ultimately fizzling out in the playoffs, Jared capped off the year by giving up a single 2025 1st round draft pick for Pick 11, adding yet another lottery pick (and another Williams) to his incredibly deep team. The Thunder have talented young players, a picture-perfect cap situation, and a GM at the helm who understands the importance of continuous improvement. Congrats to Jared on a flawlessly executed season!
3rd Place - Larry Bird
Out: Vince Williams Jr, Brandon Clarke, Luke Kennard, Santi Aldama, Jake LaRavia, Ziaire Williams, 2026 1st Round Pick
In: Rudy Gobert, Pick 3 (Alex Sarr), Saddiq Bey, 2027 HOU 1st Round Pick (top 14 protected)
Larry Bird quietly put together one of the best-executed plans in Hardwood Hoops this season. With injuries to his roster, the Grizzlies managed to bottom out for a top 3 pick while simultaneously making value-add trades that resulted in DPOY Rudy Gobert joining an already elite defensive squad. The most impressive aspect of Larry’s maneuvers is that he did not trade a single core piece of his team, but rather methodically sold off depth pieces when a desperate buyer came along. The highlight of this approach is, without a doubt, the movement of Vince Williams Jr for Nic Claxton, which ultimately sparked the Rudy Gobert acquisition at the trade deadline. These acquisitions of Gobert and Sarr, while maintaining the entirety of his starting lineup, position the Grizzlies to be a serious title contender next year with a manageable cap situation, young players to develop, and future draft capital still in the bank. Well done Larry on a masterclass in team building!
4th Place - Brad Stevens
Out: Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, Jonas Valanciunas, Naji Marshall, Larry Nance Jr, Jordan Hawkins, Pick 28 (Terrence Shannon)
In: Jarrett Allen, Fred VanVleet, Austin Reaves, Deni Avdija, Nickeil A Walker, Isaiah Jackson, Pick 16 (Kyshawn George), 2026 MIL 1st Round Pick
While swapping Brandon Ingram for Jarrett Allen undeniably was the sparkplug for the Pelicans’ 58 win season, Brad Stevens appears on this list moreso as a testament to top-to-bottom improvements in the roster. By always taking a value-driven and forward-looking approach, Brad managed to reshape the ancillary pieces of his roster in crafty, smaller trades, such as picking up Austin Reaves and the Lakers’ pick swap for Jonas Valanciunas, or swapping Naji Marshall and Jordan Hawkins for Deni Avdija. While each trade individually may not seem significant, the Pelicans’ roster as a whole has transformed from the start of the season and is well-positioned with competitive pieces, valuable prospects, and draft picks. An ever-steady presence in the league, Brad has truly pulled off a remarkable season for the Pelicans!
5th Place - Tom Izzo
Out: 2025 LAC 1st Round Pick (top 14 protected), 2018 LAC 1st Round Pick
In: Pick 4 (Stephon Castle), Pick 29 (Yves Missi)
Sometimes the best trade is the one you don’t make. As I stated in the Commissioner’s Address, most GMs joined the league and attempted to make their mark on their rosters; sometimes, at the detriment of remaining competitive. Tom Izzo was one of only a few GMs who bought into his situation, and did not seek out a trade for its own sake. In my opinion, this is perhaps a much more difficult and risky course than selling off his veterans and starting a rebuild, and it should garner the respect of the league. Tom was rewarded for his pragmatism with a finals appearance, and came within 2 games of securing a championship. On top of that, thanks to some clever draft maneuvering, the Clippers added a top-4 prospect to their ranks without trading any of his finals roster away. The Clippers offseason is filled with interesting decisions, but with those decisions also comes opportunities to reshape and retool. Congrats Tom on a successful season and well done on taking a strategy to win both now and in the future!