Mike Budenholzer Steps Down as Hawks President, Wes Wilcox Resigns as GM

Atlanta Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer stepped down from his post as the team's president of basketball operations on Friday, the team announced. 

The front office shakeup, which includes several moving parts, also saw Wes Wilcox resign as general manager and transition into a new role as special advisor to ownership. 

"With Bud moving his focus exclusively to his position as head coach, we are freeing him up to do what he does best as one of the most respected coaches in the NBA," owner Tony Ressler said in a statement. "As owners, we value Wes’ dedication, intellect and capabilities, however we believe that our leadership would be best served by recruiting a new general manager to bring our team to the level of play that we expect."

Ressler also announced the Hawks will utilize an executive search firm as they begin their quest to hire a new general manager. 

A timetable for tabbing a new GM hasn't been announced yet, but a quicker move figures to be in order considering the NBA draft begins June 22. At present, the Hawks are slated to make selections at Nos. 19, 31 and 60 overall on draft night. 

Atlanta also needs a new general manager in place so the franchise can formulate a free-agency plan in advance of July 1, with All-Star forward Paul Millsap likely to opt out of his contract and test the open market.