The Danny Ainge System: Ranking every NBA shot-caller from worst to first (No. 1 is a shocker!)

We have reached the finale of The Danny Ainge System, our ranking of every NBA executive.

We have already separately ranked every executive according to his history in the trade, draft and free-agency markets. It is probably best to catch up on those analyses before we dive into today’s edition …

Using baseball’s Sabermetrics, we categorized every trade, every draft pick and every free-agency signing as a strikeout, walk, single, double, triple or home run, creating a rating (or OPS) of each executive. If you want to get a feel for exactly how this works, go back and read Parts 1, 2 and 3. It will all make sense then.

Here, we combined those scores to create an overall ranking of every NBA executive.

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A final reminder: Newcomers Jeff Peterson (Charlotte Hornets), Trajan Langdon (Detroit Pistons), Ben Tenzer (Denver Nuggets), Onsi Saleh (Atlanta Hawks), Scott Perry (Sacramento Kings), Brian Gregory (Phoenix Suns) and Bobby Webster (Toronto Raptors) do not have sample sizes big enough to evaluate.

And again: If you take issue with a particular executive’s ranking, go back through his history and tell me which decision was more of a walk than a strikeout or a triple instead of a double. If we agree, we’ll adjust the System. But you can’t just change the System because you didn’t like the way a ranking turned out.

Let us cease with the preamble and get to the actual rankings …

23. Artūras Karnišovas, Chicago Bulls (2020-)

• Trades: .500 OBP • .000 SLG • .500 OPS

• TOTALS: .545 OBP • .467 SLG • 1.017 OPS

It should come as no surprise that Karnišovas’ Bulls rank dead last. The once-proud franchise has been a mess ever since Michael Jordan left in 1998, save for a short-lived resurgence under Derrick Rose. They have made the playoffs once under Karnišovas, getting gentlemanly swept from the first round in 2022.

Other than that, the Bulls have been an annual entrant into the Eastern Conference’s play-in tournament, where they regularly have lost, staying stuck in the NBA’s dreaded middle for the better part of a decade.

22. Joe Dumars, New Orleans Pelicans (2025-)

• Trades: .542 OBP • .526 SLG • 1.068 OPS

• TOTALS: .506 OBP • .523 SLG • 1.029 OPS

Dumars built the 2004 champion Pistons, but his decision-making for another 10 years in Detroit came under heavy criticism, including the choice to select Darko Miličić over Carmelo Anthony in the 2003 draft. That history, apparently, led to his hiring in New Orleans, where he has come under fire once again, trading the Pelicans’ unprotected first-round pick in 2026 in exchange for the right to draft Derik Queen.

21. Jon Horst, Milwaukee Bucks (2017-)

• Trades: .500 OBP • .636 SLG • 1.136 OPS

• TOTALS: .476 OBP • .556 SLG • 1.032 OPS

Likewise, Horst built the 2021 champion Bucks. Ever since, he has struggled to rebuild the roster, as age and injuries took their toll on the title core. This has led us to wonder if Giannis Antetokounmpo, one of the three best players in the league, could leave Milwaukee as a result. In a desperate attempt to satiate Antetokounmpo, Horst waived and stretched Damian Lillard in order to sign Myles Turner this summer, and his career — and the future of Antetokounmpo on the Bucks — will ultimately hinge on that choice.

20. Rob Pelinka, Los Angeles Lakers (2019-)

• Trades: .364 OBP • .900 SLG • 1.264 OPS

• TOTALS: .438 OBP • .595 SLG • 1.033 OPS

Again: Pelinka is largely responsible for building a championship team in 2020 around LeBron James (though he did not sign James; Magic Johnson did). Pelinka has constantly tinkered with the roster in the years since the title, mostly to negative results, until this year’s trade for Luka Dončić fell into his lap. Whether the Lakers should trust Pelinka to construct another contender is a separate question.

19. Jeff Weltman, Orlando Magic (2017-)

• Trades: .500 OBP • .667 SLG • 1.167 OPS

• TOTALS: .406 OBP • .645 SLG • 1.051 OPS

Imagine what the Magic would look like if they didn’t win the lottery in 2022. Same as they always did: Average. Weltman owns that pick, and it was not easy, but Paolo Banchero was the right choice. Weltman has been more productive in recent years, turning what was a 22-win team in 2022 into what should be a 50-win team this season, and it would not be shocking to see him higher on this list in the years to come.

18. Nico Harrison, Dallas Mavericks (2021-)

• Trades: .500 OBP • 714 SLG • 1.214 OPS

• TOTALS: .450 OBP • .611 SLG • 1.061 OPS

Nico Harrison traded Luka Dončić at the age of 25. Where did you expect him to rank?

17. Mike Dunleavy, Golden State Warriors (2023-)

• Trades: 1.000 OBP • 2.000 SLG • 3.000 OPS

• TOTALS: .600 OBP • .571 SLG • 1.171 OPS

Dunleavy has not been on the job long, so his scores are a little bit of an outlier. Any decision this summer could send him skyrocketing up or tumbling down these rankings. He inherited the aging core of a dynasty from former Warriors executive Bob Myers and has done well to keep them in contention.

16. Tim Connelly, Minnesota Timberwolves (2022-)

• Trades: .545 OBP • .588 SLG • 1.133 OPS

• TOTALS: .550 OBP • .700 SLG • 1.250 OPS

Connelly is a good executive. This is a good score. We should be reminded of that, as we try to determine why such a good executive ranks so low in relation to his peers. Connelly mostly built the 2023 champion Nuggets, and he has guided the Wolves to consecutive Western Conference finals appearances. He also had the grandest home run of anyone on this list, selecting Nikola Jokić with the 41st pick in the 2014 draft. But it only counts as one home run, and in a long career you are bound to amass lots of strikeouts.

15. Daryl Morey, Philadelphia 76ers (2020-)

• Trades: .513 OBP • .750 SLG • 1.263 OPS

• TOTALS: .545 OBP • .758 SLG • 1.303 OPS

See: Connelly, Tim. Morey is a good executive. He pulled off the James Harden trade in 2012, swiping an in-his-prime future Hall of Famer from the Oklahoma City Thunder. This is a good score — a decision here or there away from the top 10, and there are a lot of smart executives. That list of 10 fills up awfully fast.

That decision here or there might also be what has separated Morey from a championship. That is the knock against him. Then again, he has taken a ton of swings, and hit for a ton of power, all while making the right decision more often than not. Anyone should take his record over the course of two decades.

14. Sean Marks, Brooklyn Nets (2016-)

• Trades: .600 OBP • .682 SLG • 1.282 OPS

• TOTALS: .569 OBP • .735 SLG • 1.304 OPS

The process was there, even if the results were not. Marks positioned the Nets — a moribund organization — to recruit Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to Brooklyn in the summer of 2019. He then traded for Harden, creating an instant contender. Its shelf-life also lasted an instant, as they combined for a single playoff series victory. It may have been more if not for injury, controversy and apathy.

13. Pat Riley, Miami Heat (1995-)

• Trades: .679 OBP • 1.211 SLG • 1.890 OPS

• TOTALS: .537 OBP • .860 SLG • 1.397 OPS

Another great executive. This must be where your OPS settles when you’ve had a long and accomplished career, because who could ask for more from Riley? He drafted Dwyane Wade, traded for Shaquille O’Neal and signed LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Jimmy Butler, delivering three titles and seven NBA Finals appearances. The System is the System, and his score is his score, but who could ask for more?

12. Joe Cronin, Portland Trail Blazers (2021-)

• Trades: .667 OBP • .667 SLG • 1.333 OPS

• TOTALS: .733 OBP • .700 SLG • 1.433 OPS

Not a lot of at-bats. But Portland fans have to like the direction of this team. From Cronin’s decisions, head coach Chauncey Billups fielded a competitive roster in the second half of last season, and the Blazers are positioned to keep that momentum going into this coming season. How the Blazers emerge from this rebuild will ultimately dictate where Cronin deserves to be in these standings, but he has done good work to this point. Let’s just hope the decision to trade for Jrue Holiday doesn’t come back to bite him.

11. Koby Altman, Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-)

• Trades: .750 OPS • .941 SLG • 1.691 OPS

• TOTALS: .595 OBP • .838 SLG • 1.433 OPS

Altman took over Cleveland’s front office from David Griffin at the tail end of the LeBron James era, and he has stewarded them deftly through a rebuild, constructing a team that won 64 games last season and expects to compete for a championship again this season. The current roster, boasting All-Stars Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen, speaks to Altman’s success as a general manager.

10. Lawrence Frank, Los Angeles Clippers (2017-)

• Trades: .842 OBP • .923 SLG • 1.765 OPS

• TOTALS: .651 OBP • .800 SLG • 1.451 OPS

See: Marks, Sean. It is hard to fault Frank for acquiring both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in one summer, even if it cost them Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, among other assets. The Clippers were a contender, though they never delivered a championship. Frank put the pieces on the floor. Injuries prevented him from being more successful. He is still trying to patch things together around Leonard and having some success, building a 50-win team that could be even more dangerous this season.

9. Zach Kleiman, Memphis Grizzlies (2019-)

• Trades: .682 OBP • .647 SLG • 1.329 OPS

• TOTALS: .651 OBP • .816 SLG • 1.467 OPS

It is hard to operate out of Memphis, the NBA’s smallest media market. Yet, Kleiman hit a home run with his only top-five pick, selecting Ja Morant, who — when healthy and fully engaged — transforms the Grizzlies into a fringe contender. They have also managed to perform well in Morant’s absence, mostly because Kleiman has found a handful of diamonds in the rough who became reliable NBA contributors.

8. Kevin Pritchard, Indiana Pacers (2017-)

• Trades: .900 OBP • 1.357 SLG • 2.257 OPS

• TOTALS: .661 OBP • .848 SLG • 1.509 OPS

It isn’t easy to operate out of Indiana, either. Pritchard is tasked by ownership to field a competitive team every season, and for the most part he has done that, regularly connecting in the draft (Andrew Nembhard), via trade (Pascal Siakam) and even through free agency (T.J. McConnell). His work across every aspect of his job shone through this past season, when the Pacers reached Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

Most impressive: Inheriting an unhappy Paul George, who wanted instead to play in Los Angeles, Pritchard managed to turn the face of the franchise into All-Stars Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis, and then turned Sabonis into Tyrese Haliburton. Pritchard is perpetually spinning forward a challenger.

7. Michael Winger, Washington Wizards (2023-)

• Trades: .800 OBP • .667 SLG • 1.467 OPS

• TOTALS: .824 OBP • .700 SLG • 1.524 OPS

A bit of a surprise so high in the standings. Then again, Winger hasn’t had to make many decisions, but the ones he has made have helped the Washington Wizards climb out of a hell of a hole. Washington was saddled with Bradley Beal’s contract and had no path to relevancy. Winger did well to get out of that business, all the while stockpiling young assets, draft picks and salary-cap space. The Wizards are well-positioned to make some noise in the coming years, all thanks to the quick and smart work of Winger.

6. Rafael Stone, Houston Rockets (2020-)

• Trades: .667 OBP • .667 SLG • 1.333 (OPS)

• TOTALS: .667 OBP • .857 SLG • 1.524 OPS

Stone inherited the tail end of the James Harden era in Houston. The Rockets had already begun to dismantle a contender, and they were going nowhere fast. In a few short years, which included a string of top-five picks, including Amen Thompson, Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr., Stone built a 50-win roster.

Now, he has taken the biggest swing of his career, trading Green in a package for Kevin Durant, who will mean the difference between whether or not Stone’s work produces a championship in the short term.

5. Leon Rose, New York Knicks (2020-)

• Trades: .643 OBP • .846 SLG • 1.489 OPS

• TOTALS: .636 OBP • .893 SLG • 1.529 OPS

The Knicks were a doormat. They were who everybody walks over in order to get into contention. They are run by an inept owner who has served as an impediment to the success of his team’s top shot-callers.

Yet, Rose has navigated that difficult road better anyone else in New York this century, turning a 21-win team into a playoff mainstay. The roster that reached the Eastern Conference finals this past season was built almost entirely by Rose, mostly through trades and free agency, and they expect to contend again.

4. Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics (2021-)

• Trades: .800 OBP • 1.286 SLG • 2.086 OPS

• TOTALS: .724 OBP • .813 SLG • 1.537 OPS

Stevens coached the Celtics under Ainge to three Eastern Conference finals in four years. He took over the front office for a team that was about to lose two of its best players to free agency. The Celtics still boasted Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and Stevens was tasked with taking them to the next level.

That he did. Stevens reacquired Al Horford and traded for Derrick White, Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday, all of whom helped Tatum and Brown capture the 2024 NBA championship. Stevens was looking at a couple of whiffs this summer, having to dump the contracts of Porziņģis and Holiday, and he did OK to get out relatively unscathed. Now, he is tasked with reconfiguring a contender for the 2026-27 season.

3. Sam Presti, Oklahoma City Thunder (2007-)

• Trades: .660 OBP • .737 SLG • 1.397 OPS

• TOTALS: .620 OBP • .920 SLG • 1.540

I think we’re all surprised that Presti wasn’t No. 1 on these rankings. He has built two separate powerhouses in small-market Oklahoma City, the latest of which won the 2025 NBA championship. The Thunder — with a ton of young talent, a perfectly constructed roster and enough draft picks to restock the cupboard — are as capable of becoming a dynasty as any other champion since Golden State.

Over a long career, though, you are bound to strike out. A lot. Still, to hit this consistently well, with this much power, for this long, is a wonder. A reminder: Four MVPs — four (Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) have come through Oklahoma City due to Presti’s brilliance.

2. Danny Ainge, Celtics (2003-21) • Jazz (2021-)

• Trades: .787 OBP • 1.125 SLG • 1.912

• TOTALS: .661 OBP • .947 SLG • 1.608 OPS

In Boston, Ainge built the 2008 NBA champions, trading for both Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in a single summer. He also drafted Tatum and Brown, the foundation of the 2024 NBA champions. In between, Ainge constructed a roster that regularly repped the Eastern Conference finals. He forged a powerhouse.

In Utah, Ainge will have a harder time building in a small market. Much of his work hangs in the balance, as we await a determination for a number of his draft picks, including this year’s selections, Ace Bailey and Walter Clayton Jr. The Jazz are positioned to improve over the next few years. How much they actually do will depend on how well Ainge performed in the draft. If history tells us anything, Utah will be fine.

1. Brian Wright, San Antonio Spurs (2019-)

• Trades: .818 OBP • 1.000 SLG • 1.818 OPS

• TOTALS: .741 OBP • 1.056 SLG • 1.797 OPS

A shocker at No. 1! Nobody figured Wright, who has been on the job for a few years, to be this high on the list. Some of that has to do with a generous stroke of luck, as his Spurs won the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes in 2023, but a lot of it has to do with what he’s done to build around a 7-foot-5 Frenchman.

What roster, other than the Thunder, would you prefer to have over the next 10 years? The Spurs feature an All-Star point guard (De’Aaron Fox), an All-Star center (Wembanyama), a ton of young talent, some veteran depth and a cache of draft picks that could help make one final move. Trust Wright to make it.