Official statement: The Atlanta Hawks have extended the contract of General Manager Onsi Saleh and promoted him to President of Basketball Operations.

The Atlanta Hawks announced Wednesday that 40-year-old Onsie Saleh has been promoted from general manager to president of basketball operations. They also signed Saleh to a long-term contract extension, but did not disclose the specific length of the contract.

Saleh previously served as Vice President of Basketball Strategy and Legal Counsel for the Golden State Warriors. In 2024, he was recruited by the Hawks as Assistant General Manager. Since succeeding Landry Fields as General Manager in April 2025, he has effectively been in charge of all basketball operations for the Hawks.

Thanks to his solid performance in his first full term, Saleh finished second in the NBA Executive of the Year voting in April. Last summer, he first signed Nickeil Alexander-Walker, this season's NBA Most Improved Player (MIP) winner, to a four-year, $60 million contract, and then secured the future of 2025 MIP winner Dyson Daniels with a four-year, $100 million rookie-standard contract.

In addition, Saleh also demonstrated excellent maneuvering skills on draft night last year. He traded down to the New Orleans Pelicans, sending the Hawks' 13th pick to them in exchange for the 23rd pick in 2025 and the 8th pick in 2026.

In January of this year, Saleh continued to make sweeping changes to the roster. He decisively traded Trae Young for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, and then acquired Jonathan Kuminga from the Golden State Warriors. With the arrival of their new additions, the Hawks won 20 of their last 26 regular season games, ultimately securing the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and entering the playoffs.

Regarding this personnel change, Hawks principal owner Tony Resler explained: "Unsey possesses exceptional leadership and a clear vision that makes our team a championship contender. He is a gifted communicator and talent assessment expert, widely respected by his peers within the league. His decisiveness and insight have transformed the trajectory of our team, and we are delighted to have him lead our basketball operations for the long term."

Saleh himself stated, "I am sincerely grateful for the trust and cooperation the Resler family has shown me since the first day I arrived in Atlanta. They provided the management with all the necessary resources, enabling us to systematically build a top NBA team. It is an honor to lead this team. I will fulfill my responsibilities diligently and deliver results for Hawks fans. I am full of expectations for the team's future development."

Image source: Internet/NBA official website