Los Angeles Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank has been named NBA Executive of the Year, the league announced in a release.
Frank finished ahead of Oklahoma City Thunder GM Sam Presti and Miami Heat president Pat Riley, who placed second and third, respectively.
While the criteria for Executive of the Year isn’t clearly defined, it goes without saying that Frank had a huge offseason last summer, lading All-Star forwards Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
That said, the Clippers blew a 3-1 series lead to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference playoffs and fired coach Doc Rivers shortly thereafter.
But things clearly were going well before that, with the Clippers being viewed as instant championship contenders following some of Frank’s offseason and in-season moves. Unless otherwise specified, NBA awards are generally given for performance during the regular season.
Frank, 50, served as an assistant coach under Rivers with the Clippers from 2014-16. He has also been head coach of the Detroit Pistons (2011-13) and then-New Jersey Nets (2004-10).
Frank received 10 of 29 first-place votes and earned 61 total points from a panel of team basketball executives throughout the NBA.
