The Cavs are expected to look for replacements for both Blanks and Mike Winger, the former team legal counsel and salary-cap specialist who was hired by Oklahoma City last week.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Despite the fallout over the past month, the Cavaliers' front office must have done at least a few things right over the past five years. Because teams keep hiring their executives away.
The latest was Cavs assistant general manager Lance Blanks, who was hired as the Phoenix Suns' general manager on Thursday. Blanks, who arrived with former GM Danny Ferry from the San Antonio Spurs in 2005, is the second executive to be hired away in the past week.
Team legal counsel and salary-cap specialist Mike Winger was hired by the Oklahoma City Thunder for a higher-level management position last week. Ferry, who resigned in June, interviewed for the Portland Trail Blazers and New Jersey Nets general manager jobs after leaving the Cavs.
Blanks was especially effective in working with players during his time with the Cavs. He was also an integral part of recruiting new coach Byron Scott to the team.
"Lance has been a great person to work with for the last five years," Cavs GM Chris Grant said in a statement. "He has been a key part of a special group that has helped establish a culture of success that our organization can be very proud of and continue to build off of into the future. He deserves this opportunity and we wish Lance the best as he moves on to the Suns."
The Cavs are expected to look for replacements for both Winger and Blanks. One name that they may be interested in is Mark Warkentien, who was let go by the Denver Nuggets at the end of his contract this week.
Warkentien, who was the 2009 Executive of the Year, is a draft specialist who worked with the Trail Blazers and with the Cavs before going to the Nuggets in 2005. With 15 draft picks over the next five years and the intention to acquire more, the Cavs may be interested in hiring a draft expert such as Warkentien.
Warkentien also has been linked to the New York Knicks, who have been considering hiring a general manager to eventually replace team President Donnie Walsh.