ATLANTA — The Atlanta Hawks announced Wednesday that the team's president of basketball operations and an architect of the team's upturn over the past couple seasons, Travis Schlenk, will be stepping down into an advisory role.
According to a team release, current general manager Landry Fields will oversee the basketball operations department while Schlenk, in his new role, will report directly to team owner Tony Ressler.
In a statement, Schlenk explained that he and Ressler "have had multiple, honest conversations about some of the personal things I've been going through and how I've been feeling."
"I appreciate the counsel he has provided me as well as the opportunity he gave me six seasons ago to be a first-time general manager," Schlenk said in a statement. "As we enter a new year, the timing feels right for me to take a step back, reflect and prioritize my family."
A team release credited Schlenk with the drafting of Trae Young in 2018 as well as other stars on the team such as John Collins and De'Andre Hunter. He also signed Bogdan Bogdanovic to the team in 2020 and brought in Clint Capela in a four-team trade that year.
“I am proud of the group I assembled both on the floor and in the front office. We have built a strong foundation for the Hawks franchise and achieved a high level of success," Schlenk said. "As an advisor, I look forward to working with Tony and Landry and continuing to make contributions in less visible but still impactful ways.”
In his own statement, team owner Ressler said the organization has a "great appreciation for the work Travis has done" in getting the Hawks back to the playoffs after several down seasons.
"He has worked tirelessly from his first day with our organization to move us toward our ultimate goal of becoming a championship franchise,” Ressler said. “With his strong eye for talent, work ethic and knowledge of our team, we are confident that he will serve us well as a trusted advisor.”