Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank has been named the NBA’s Executive of the Year for the 2019/20 season, the league announced today in a press release.
Frank received 10 of 29 first-place votes for the award, which is voted on by a panel of team front office executives from around the league. He beat out Sam Presti of the Thunder and Pat Riley of the Heat, who finished second and third, respectively.
The criteria for the Executive of the Year award aren’t clearly defined, so some top vote-getters are recognized for the splashy or savvy roster moves they made within the last year, while others receive votes for an accumulation of the moves made in recent years that helped build their current rosters.
In Frank’s case, it’s safe to say he earned Executive of the Year honors for the job he did landing Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the same night last July, instantly turning the Clippers into title contenders. The team also re-signed Patrick Beverley, Ivica Zubac, JaMychal Green, and Rodney McGruder to new deals, and acquired Maurice Harkless and a first-round pick in a four-team deal during the free agent period last summer. Frank later flipped Harkless and a first-rounder to the Knicks for Marcus Morris.
Frank’s roster moves didn’t ultimately result in a deep playoff run for the Clippers, who were upset in the second round by the Nuggets. However, voting for the Executive of the Year award was completed prior to the NBA’s summer restart.
The full voting results for Executive of the Year can be found below. Teams’ heads of basketball operations were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for a second-place vote, and one point for a third-place vote.
- Lawrence Frank, Clippers (61 points)
- Sam Presti, Thunder (41)
- Pat Riley, Heat (39)
- Jon Horst, Bucks (27)
- Masai Ujiri, Raptors (20)
- Zach Kleiman, Grizzlies (16)
- Rob Pelinka, Lakers (14)
- Donn Nelson, Mavericks (8)
- Tim Connelly, Nuggets (7)
- Danny Ainge, Celtics (6)
- Bob Myers, Warriors (5)
- Jeff Weltman, Magic (5)
- David Griffin, Pelicans (5)
- James Jones, Suns (3)
- Ed Stefanski, Pistons (1)
- Dennis Lindsey, Jazz (1)
- Kevin Pritchard, Pacers (1)
- Sean Marks, Nets (1)
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Kawhi only decided to join the Clippers because he’s from California, not because of Frank’s acumen as an executive. Moreover, he gave in to Kawhi’s demands and traded a gazillion first round picks for a notoriously bad playoff performer in Paul George. Now it looks like both players could leave if things go badly again next year and the Clippers will have no firsts until 2027. What a fantastic executive.
They will have firsts before then. Can’t trade them in consecutive years.
True, good catch. The rest of my points are valid though.
I think they don’t currently have control of their own first round pick until 2027. They definitely did trade a bunch of them away, but others are attached as pick swaps in the off years.
Another worthless award for the overhyped Clippers. Trading the farm for annual playoff collapser Paul George is not what a top exec does. All the depth moves the media praised and swore made them better than the Lakers did nothing for them in the playoffs. Clippers traded a former lottery pick and a 1st for Morris. Lakers got the same player for nothing off the buyout market. Rondo makes a bigger impact than Beverley for 10 million+ less per season. Sam Presti got 9 first round picks and a future star in Shai for the 2 of biggest playoff failures one of which had a terrible contract. There were better candidates.
How does rob not win the award? He built the team on the fly and they are going to win in 5. NBA is fake, this is inexcusable
If any sam presti deserves the award dude completely rebuild Thunder in one season and pushed Rockets to 7.
Really ???? Bron runs team. He brought AD and all the vets. Try and keep up.
+1 ……. Lebron decides to go to LA. He, I mean Klutch, signs AD. Lebron, I mean Klutch, decides to trade AD to LA.
Morris Jr, Howard all ring-chasing at this point – this is quite common in this Lebron age. For these guys it was simply choosing between LAL or LAC.
Now, what crucial part exactly did Pelinka play in all of this?
The coach they bring in – and cap space – will be able to attract top level players if Kawhi and PG leave. It LA… getting players won’t be a problem.
I’m surprised Frank received this award. The Clippers didn’t meet expectations. With the Heat making the finals, you have to give it to Riley. This roster is young, lean and fits the culture perfectly. Outside of Jimmy Butler, this roster wasn’t seen as championship-ready. Riley was the one who drafted Bam and Herro, while trading for Crowder and Iguodala and finding gems like Nunn.
How did he win the award while Daryl Morey received zero votes?
Because HOU went downhill and his big idea failed?
Thunder won as many games as Rockets. Rockets are underperformed.
According to report, Daryl Morey won’t trade Westbrook and Gordon.
Trade Covington to shed salary?
Because midget ball failed and the Rockets have a poorly constructed roster. Also, right or wrong, but Morey’s mouth cost the NBA hundreds of millions of dollars.
Enjoy winning 45 games and having another second round flame-out next year.
LJ probably has the final say with LAL, but Pelinka certainly makes a handsome figurehead.
Presti or Riley look the best now, but Presti traded Jeremi Grant for a low first (he would soon be deluged with them in 2 days after trading PG13, and Grant kept rising). Riley kind of backed into using his traditional strengths.
Frank has the benefit of a recruiting platform that includes LA and an owner annually getting investigated for passing out under-the-table money.
Horst is fighting the fallout of an overly large extension to Bledsoe (ouch, I supported that, but we were fooled into thinking he was responsible for the smoothness of their offense.)
Obvsly it should be CLE’s Koby Altman! /s
No, Ujiri, for keeping the Raptors feeling strong and finding Terence Davis.
Congrats on getting bounced out of the playoffs, even though you were the favorite. Here’s an award!
Riley deserves it. They found players in draft. And undrafted players. Nothing is better than that. A Clipper winning it is joke.
‘In Frank’s case, it’s safe to say he earned Executive of the Year honors for the job he did landing Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the same night last July, instantly turning the Clippers into title contenders.’
Or in other words…’he did nothing as Kawhi communicated with another player that was under contract to force a trade and then sign with said team’…
GM of the year moves right there…think he needs to hand this one over to Kawhi…or maybe his uncle.
Banner #1 for the JV team in LA. Now they have as many as Taylor Swift
He won this because he signed Kawhi?
Presti, Riley should have been no. 1 & 2.