Many felt that this year’s Executive of the Year award in the NBA would come down to Koby Altman of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Monte McNair of the Sacramento Kings.
The Cavs shocked the NBA last summer by trading for star guard Donovan Mitchell, and he raised his game to an even higher level while leading them to the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference.
Sacramento did not make any Earth-shattering moves last offseason, but they did acquire reserve guard Kevin Huerter while taking Keegan Murray with the No. 4 pick in last June’s draft.
As a result, the team, which wasn’t expected by many to make the playoffs, not only made the playoffs but had the third-best record in the Western Conference.
It resulted in McNair being named the Executive of the Year.
Here is NBA Executive of the Year voting (NYK’s Leon Rose & BKN’s Sean Marks received votes): pic.twitter.com/EN2LYEvD15
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) May 3, 2023
Some may have an issue with McNair winning it, as the big move that remade his roster came last season, not last summer.
That was the deal that sent Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield to the Indiana Pacers for big man Domantas Sabonis, but it was a monumental one.
Sabonis averaged 19.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 7.3 assists a game this season while earning his third All-Star bid, while point guard De’Aaron Fox earned his first All-Star selection while putting up 25.0 points and 6.1 assists a game.
Fox also earned the inaugural Clutch Player of the Year award, and for the first time in his six pro seasons, fans across the nation have realized how great a player he is.
Although the Kings fell in seven games in the first round of the playoffs to the Golden State Warriors, their future is bright thanks to the work McNair put in.
