GM of the Year Announced

[Lucky17]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/233303/RC-Buford-Wins-2014-Executive-Of-The-Year

FWIW, Ainge finished 7th. Only 17 GMs received votes.

[kozlodoev]

Ryan McDonough clocks in second, and Doc is 13th. Good year for our championship staff

[Quetzalcoatl]

He did a great job, but I am kind of leaning towards Ryan McDonough of PHX.  Either way, they are one and two.  The GMs are getting a lot better.

I was also surprised to see Ernie Grunfeld (Wash) at 10.  He did a fantastic job with what he had, although he probably got docked for the Porter pick (but come on, that draft was terrible and Porter could still turn out ok).

[Roy H.]

It seems like a bit of a lifetime achievement award, but oh well.  I think McDonough deserved it.  Bellinelli was a good signing, but that's about all Buford did this year.

[The Fawb]

I think executive of the year gets clouded by regular season results from that year, which has little to do with how well an executive did that year. I think some of the worst teams' leaders could win this award.

Here are my top 3 for this year and why

1.) Sam Hinkie-76ers- trading jrue holiday for nerlens noel and a lotto pick was a very smart move, and if Carter-Williams pans out, along with a likely top 3 pick and multiple ungaranteed 2nd rounders to trade or use at their discretion. Great year for the sixers rebuild.

2.) Masai Ujiri-Raptors- Trading away Rudy Gay for productive players was a huge win for them, and getting rid of the least productive player in NBA history in Andrea Bargnani for a decent haul is just icing on the cake. If he can resign Lowrey in the offseason and trade Demar Derozan for a more efficent and productive player while his value is high, then they are very much looking good.

3.) Danny Ainge- Celtics- we all know what happened here. Getting so many 1st round picks for Doc, KG and Pierce and also some expiring contracts, allowing Rondo to heal up, playing their way to a top 5 pick. Hopefully we can resign Humphries to a cheaper contract, not match any offers for Bradley and let him walk, force Sullinger to stop taking 3's because it makes him horribly inefficient, and pick a great draft pick (Embiid!). Resign Rondo next year to an extension if possible as that is the cheapest way to go. If we could trade for KLove somehow i would be beyond ecstatic.

I think this award should go to who helped their team the most, not who won the most.

[Who]

Phoenix had an incredible year. A surprising year.

I'd be more inclined to go with Phoenix's GM if I thought he expected this and/or at least was trying to accomplish this. But I can't help but wonder if Phoenix's superb season was more by accident than design.

[fitzhickey]

Agree with what many others have said. McDonough from PHX deserved it. Did a surprising job.

[Eddie20]

Ainge at 7 and Billy King at 8...I wonder if voters split the votes between the two for what they did for the C's.

[Vox_Populi]

Phoenix had an incredible year. A surprising year.

I'd be more inclined to go with Phoenix's GM if I thought he expected this and/or at least was trying to accomplish this. But I can't help but wonder if Phoenix's superb season was more by accident than design.

Yeah, I'm fairly certain it was a complete accident. Hornacek deserves most of the credit here.