Presti's Tree Reaches DC: The Official Will Dawkins Thread
Posted: Tue Jun 6, 2023 7:43 am
WASHINGTON — The Washington Wizards will hire Oklahoma City Thunder executive Will Dawkins as the franchise’s No. 2 basketball operations executive, reporting to Michael Winger, a league source told The Athletic on Monday.
Dawkins, 37, recently completed his third year as one of the Thunder’s two vice presidents of basketball operations and his 15th year overall with the organization. Dawkins’ title with the Wizards will be general manager, said the league source, who was granted anonymity because Dawkins’ forthcoming hire has not been announced yet.
In Washington, Dawkins will reunite with Winger, who on May 25 was named the president of Monumental Basketball, overseeing the Wizards, the WNBA’s Washington Mystics and the G League’s Capital City Go-Go.
Winger and Dawkins worked together in Oklahoma City from 2010 until 2017, when Winger left Oklahoma City to join the Clippers as L.A.’s general manager.
One of Winger’s first priorities in his new role in Washington has been to hire a No. 2 executive, and Winger chose Dawkins.
When Winger left the Thunder, he knew Dawkins was an up-and-coming fast riser who only needed an opportunity to blossom and grow on his own. After Winger’s departure, and after Oklahoma City’s then-vice president/general manager Troy Weaver left the franchise to become the Detroit Pistons’ general manager, the field was cleared for Dawkins to assume greater responsibilities with the Thunder.
For the last three years, Dawkins was one of Oklahoma City’s two vice presidents of basketball operations, alongside Rob Hennigan.
The Thunder’s methodical rebuild that started by trading Paul George to the Clippers in 2019 and Chris Paul to the Suns in 2020 created a new timetable for Oklahoma City, one that Dawkins and executives working under Thunder executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti have executed quickly and efficiently.
Oklahoma City took its lumps in the won-loss column from 2020-22, but now have one of the league’s most promising young cores, led by 2022-23 All-NBA First Team selection Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, rising third-year forward Josh Giddey, two-way wing Luguentz Dort and 2022-23 All-Rookie First Team guard Jalen Williams, a steal with the 12th pick in last year’s draft.
The Thunder will also get uber-promising big man Chet Holmgren, the No. 2 pick last year, back after he missed the entire 2022-23 season rehabbing a Lisfranc injury.
Last week, Winger hired former Atlanta Hawks head of basketball operations Travis Schlenk to become the Wizards’ senior vice president of player personnel.
Dawkins will get a wide runway in overseeing basketball operations in D.C. The Wizards won’t hit the ground running, as only a little more than two weeks remain before the 2023 NBA Draft on June 22.
Washington vice president of college personnel Frank Ross has been leading the Wizards’ preparations for the draft. Ross, vice president of pro personnel Johnny Rogers and Dawkins all worked in Oklahoma City during Winger’s tenure there, so there is significant familiarity with each other that could help alleviate the growing pains of the new organizational structure.
