Which front office is the best in sports?
In 2024, the answer to that question is the Oklahoma City Thunder, followed by the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Baltimore Ravens. At least according to their front-office peers.
At the start of each season this year, The Athletic polled 40 executives and coaches in each of the four major leagues — MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL — and asked them to rank the top five front offices, in order, in their respective sport. We polled the same number of executives and coaches (40) each time and used the same scoring system to rank front offices: First-place votes were worth 10 points, second-place seven, third-place five, fourth-place three and fifth-place one.
The Athletic then published the front-office rankings from the various leagues throughout 2024.
While there are slight differences in the number of teams in the four leagues — MLB and the NBA have 30 teams while the NHL and NFL have 32 teams — and varying sizes of front offices across the leagues, the scoring system offers an opportunity to make an apples-and-oranges comparison of front offices across different sports based on how their peers rated them.
In other words: This isn’t a scientific comparison of these front offices, but rather a ranking of which ones are viewed as the best by their direct competitors.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
Total points: 354 points (29 first-place votes)
Governor: Clayton Bennett
General manager: Sam Presti
Head coach: Mark Daigneault
It’s one thing to be crowned the winner of this inaugural front-office “competition,” but this was a landslide victory for Sam Presti and his staff. So, why all the league-wide adulation for the job they do?
For starters, Presti — who learned under R.C. Buford and Gregg Popovich in San Antonio before taking over this front office during the Seattle SuperSonics days in 2007 — has long since proven himself to be an elite hoops architect. Building those Kevin Durant-Russell Westbrook teams (with James Harden early on) through the draft back in the day established that much. And his lack of a championship, quite clearly, was not seen by his peers as a disqualifier in this exercise.
But this latest Thunder creation is capable of two things that are typically impossible to accomplish at the same time: Title contention and (extreme) flexibility for the future. The master stroke that made it all possible — the July 2019 trade with the LA Clippers that brought Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, five first-round picks and two first-round swaps to town in exchange for Paul George — set the stage for what could be a very long run of success. The choice to make Mark Daigneault the head coach in November 2020, when he was elevated from their G League team after five years running that program, has been a hit.
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Along the way, the Thunder have amassed a collection of draft picks that is unrivaled in all the Association (13 first-round picks through 2030 and 17 guaranteed second-round picks in all). The timing of this particular strategy is quite perfect, as the structure of the league’s latest collective bargaining agreement is such that the value of draft picks are at an all-time high. As one rival executive pointed out, Presti was as close to that negotiating process as anyone before the CBA’s ratification in April 2023 and clearly knew prioritizing picks was paramount in this era.
“OKC, they’re so well positioned, Jesus Christ, for the next five years,” one assistant GM said.
Even with this loaded collection of talent, in other words, they have the assets to keep adding. Presti isn’t a one-man show, though, as he relies heavily on a front-office group that also includes former Orlando Magic general manager Rob Hennigan, Jesse Gould (in his 16th season with the organization) and Wynn Sullivan (in his 13th season with the Thunder).
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
Total points: 284 (19 first-place votes)
Chairman: Mark Walter
President of baseball operations: Andrew Friedman
Manager: Dave Roberts
When Andrew Friedman left Tampa Bay for Los Angeles in the fall of 2014, he inherited a treasure trove of talent from Ned Colletti. Almost all those stars are gone a decade later, except for Clayton Kershaw. So are Farhan Zaidi, Alex Anthopoulos and Gabe Kapler, who acted as Friedman’s primary lieutenants in those early years. The organization remains a juggernaut, with Friedman now supplemented by general manager Brandon Gomes, assistant general managers Jeff Kingston and Alex Slater, and longtime advisor Josh Byrnes.
Friedman set a lofty goal for the franchise upon his arrival: He wanted this time to become known as “the golden era” of Dodger baseball. The team has never missed the postseason since he took over. The group has won two World Series in addition to winning the National League pennant in two other seasons. The acquisition of Shohei Ohtani has transformed the franchise into a financial behemoth.
One executive described a first-place vote for the Dodgers as “self-explanatory. They are elite at everything.” Billy Gasparino, the scouting director recently promoted to vice president of baseball operations, has drafted well despite picking in the latter half of the first round every summer. The farm system continues to churn out prospects. The roster tends to be well-managed. Friedman often corrects big-league deficiencies with midseason acquisitions; the stars he has acquired at the deadline include Max Scherzer, Trea Turner and Manny Machado.
“One of the things he does so well is knowing which stars to sign,” another executive said. With the notable exception of Trevor Bauer, Friedman has aced that assignment in recent years by landing Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Ohtani. In part, another executive explained, that stems from the front office’s “insane discipline,” not wasting resources on mid-tier players so that when a star becomes available, the team can pounce.
“Andrew,” another executive said, “is the best at this.”
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3. Baltimore Ravens
Total points: 259 (15 first-place votes)
Owner: Steve Bisciotti
General manager: Eric DeCosta
Head coach: John Harbaugh
It’s been more than five years since Ozzie Newsome stepped down as Baltimore’s GM. His disciples have kept the Ravens in contention nearly every year since.
Eric DeCosta, who was a player personnel intern for the Ravens’ inaugural season in 1996 and has been with the organization ever since, took the reins from Newsome in 2019, and Baltimore’s 56 victories over his first five seasons were tied for the third-most in the league.
DeCosta handled quarterback Lamar Jackson’s complicated contract situation, working past a trade request to execute a five-year, $260 million extension in 2023. Jackson then won his second MVP award last season.
From a talent acquisition standpoint, DeCosta has steered the Ravens toward the trade for linebacker Roquan Smith, has a strong track record in the first (safety Kyle Hamilton, wide receiver Zay Flowers) and middle rounds (defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, tight end Isaiah Likely), landed a priority free agent in running back Derrick Henry and created an environment where a veteran like linebacker Kyle Van Noy can thrive. Of course, those are just a handful of examples.
DeCosta also got out in front of the potential loss of receiver Hollywood Brown, flipping him and a third-rounder to the Arizona Cardinals for a first-round pick that netted center Tyler Linderbaum.
“Consistency,” an NFC executive said of what makes the Ravens’ front office so good. “They know what a Raven is and understand how to win with those guys.”
That’s a common refrain when discussing DeCosta and his staff. They recognize the types of players and people who will be successful in their program, and they’re certainly aided by the fact that head coach John Harbaugh has manned the sidelines since 2008. All involved know what to expect from one another.
The Ravens’ influence can be felt in many buildings across the NFL. Current general managers Joe Hortiz (Los Angeles Chargers) and Joe Douglas (New York Jets) have experience under Newsome, the architect of Baltimore’s two Super Bowl winners and someone commonly referred to as the best GM in history. Chicago Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham, considered a likely future GM, also worked for Newsome.
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Total points: 258 (12 first-place votes)
Owner: Stuart Sternberg
President of baseball operations: Eric Neander
Manager: Kevin Cash
No roof? No problem. The Rays excel at adaptation.
When the Rays first emerged as a low-budget marvel in the late 2000s, the franchise relied on the leadership structure of owner Stu Sternberg, president Matt Silverman and general manager Andrew Friedman. Friedman departed in 2014. The collection of future decision-makers he hired includes Chaim Bloom, James Click, Matt Arnold, Peter Bendix and Erik Neander. Only Neander remains with the Rays, occupying Friedman’s former chair as the head of baseball operations.
Despite the turnover, the Rays continue to innovate and regenerate. The team has won 90 or more games in four of the past five full seasons and reached the World Series in the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. The roster has cycled through stars like Evan Longoria, David Price and Blake Snell. The franchise competes so consistently, on such a small budget, that one executive said it was obvious why rival owners reach into the Rays’ front office when making hires.
“You look at owners around baseball and what do they want? They want the intellectual property of the Rays,” the executive said. “It’s almost too attractive: ‘We can win without spending anything.’ But they constantly acquire undervalued guys, they get the most out of their players and they make the tough decisions.”
Sternberg may not make splashes in free agency, but the Rays do support a robust scouting department. Those scouts help the club make good choices when evaluating other clubs. Neander’s willingness to deal quality players pains him — it is also what keeps his club competitive. One executive described the Rays as “the scariest team in the league to trade with. Have developed well, great pro scouting department and very good at roster building. The pieces always make sense together on their major-league team.”
Total points: 251 (17 first-place votes)
Owner: Tom Gaglardi
President and CEO: Brad Alberts
GM: Jim Nill
Head coach: Peter DeBoer
When you see a team get nearly half the first-place votes, you think dynasty. The Stars have been to the Western Conference final three of the past five years and lost the 2020 Stanley Cup Final, so they are anything but a dynasty. What they have done well in 11 seasons with Jim Nill at the helm is make targeted draft moves and signings with a development system that may have overtaken Tampa Bay’s as the gold standard in the NHL. The Stars have picked higher than 12th just once in the past 10 years, and yet their lineup is filled with homegrown talent. And that one high pick, Miro Heiskanen (No. 3 in 2017), might be the most underrated player in the league.
Another aspect of Nill’s front office is how he deals with his fellow executives. Class still goes a long way in this league. “Everything they do is right and smart,” one senior adviser said. “And a lot is relationships because Jim may be the most respected GM in the league.”
“Jim’s a quiet guy,” a GM added. “Very rare do you read anything about him, but at the draft, I was looking at his table and I couldn’t believe all the people he’s surrounded himself with. Every one of them is good hockey people.
“You know, no one person can do this job. And if somebody tells you that, then their ego’s too big. Jim’s got no ego. A gentleman.”
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Brad Stevens, president of basketball operations for the Boston Celtics, before Game 7 of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals (Jesse D. Garrabrant / NBAE via Getty Images)
Total points: 250 points (9 first-place votes)
Governor: Wyc Grousbeck
President of basketball operations: Brad Stevens
Head coach: Joe Mazzulla
Brad Stevens has only been in charge for three full seasons since he moved up from the sideline to replace Danny Ainge, but the rest of the Celtics’ organizational infrastructure has been there roughly forever, including vice president of basketball operations Mike Zarren and assistant general managers Austin Ainge and Dave Lewin. The Celtics may have built their team on the elder Ainge’s 2013 swindle of the Brooklyn Nets that yielded the draft picks that became Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but it was Boston’s more recent work to build around those two under Stevens that won great admiration.
Stevens-era trades for Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday established a championship nucleus around the Brown-Tatum core without breaking the bank in terms of asset costs. Finding Sam Hauser on the post-draft scrap heap and Payton Pritchard at the end of the first round extended their talent base. And when Ime Udoka was suspended and then let go, they pivoted quickly to a high-potential internal candidate (Joe Mazzulla), even though he hadn’t been a head coach before, and hit that hire out of the park.
As a result, the Celtics are the defending champions and well-positioned to make another run this spring. However, the team is for sale, so potential ownership change looms over the future; the roster is also about to get extremely expensive if the Celtics keep everyone, so tough decisions lie ahead.
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7. Tampa Bay Lightning
Total points: 187 (9 first-place votes)
Owner: Jeff Vinik (sale in progress to Doug Ostrover)
GM: Julien BriseBois
Head coach: Jon Cooper
Any team with back-to-back Cups and three straight Final appearances within the past five years is going to garner praise. Julien BriseBois and his staff have made some incredibly hard decisions in recent seasons to try to keep the Lightning at an elite level — letting Steven Stamkos walk this summer was one of the toughest — and Tampa Bay, despite predictions to the contrary, has been able to keep its lineup fresh and in the hunt.
The BriseBois-Jon Cooper connection helps too — the longest-tenured GM-coach combination in the league.
“They’ve been out ahead of the pack for so long and keep evolving,” one assistant GM said. “They aren’t afraid to make mistakes and try again. That’s why they haven’t lagged behind.”
“They’re progressive,” another AGM said. “They use their geographical advantages to their advantage. They’re bold. And they’ve had success.”
And then there’s this comment from a GM that sums up what the Lightning are about: “Winning Cups. That’s what we’re in the business for.”
Total points: 174 (13 first-place votes)
Owner: Clark Hunt
General manager: Brett Veach
Head coach: Andy Reid
Andy Reid and Brett Veach are a formidable 1-2 punch for the two-time defending Super Bowl champions. Veach, who began his career as a coaching intern under Reid with Philadelphia in 2004, followed his mentor to Kansas City. Veach played a significant role in the decision to draft Patrick Mahomes in 2017 (under then-GM John Dorsey, whom he succeeded weeks after that draft). Veach rebuilt the offensive line and armed defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo with a talented young defense that ranked among the top 10 in scoring defense four of the past five years.
“Veach grew up around Andy, so I think there is a very clear vision on what types of players they’re looking for and what works in their system,” an executive said. “Along with the winning comes continuity, and I think that staff as a whole has a very strong understanding of what works there. I think Veach and (assistant general manager Mike) Borgonzi are good evaluators. They have an eye for talent along with an understanding of what plays in the league.”
While Mahomes’ deal could be reworked in the not-so-distant future, he’s currently the greatest bargain on the planet because the Chiefs were savvy enough to take care of him before the QB market boom. Mahomes, for his part, sought a long-term partnership that would help the team put together an elite roster around him. The 12 quarterbacks currently ahead of Mahomes in average annual salary have combined to win zero Super Bowls and have 19 playoff wins to his 15.
Said one general manager who voted Kansas City as the top front office: “They have the stability of that head coach along with a guy who is comfortable in that second chair.”
So while Mahomes and Reid have become the faces of the franchise, Veach has been quietly fortifying a roster that’s helped them win three of the past five Super Bowls.
Total points: 173 (9 first-place votes)
Owner: Vincent Viola
President and CEO: Matt Caldwell
GM and president of hockey operations: Bill Zito
Head coach: Paul Maurice
One assistant GM perfectly summed up the incredible transformation of the Panthers under Bill Zito and his staff: “It went from a place players avoided to a destination.”
Zito was hired prior to the 2020-21 season and took a team that had three playoff appearances in the previous 22 seasons to the promised land in just four years. There were plenty of big swings, but it’s the depth — built through shrewd drafting and signings — that puts the Panthers this high.
Also navigating Joel Quenneville’s removal early in the 2021-22 season counts for quite a bit. Making good personnel moves is at the heart of what constitutes success in this league, but avoiding pitfalls can be just as important.
“A bit of recency bias here, but management has done an excellent job of finding undervalued talent off the scrap heap (Gustav Forsling, Carter Verhaeghe, Brandon Montour, Eetu Luostarinen, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, maybe Nate Schmidt, etc.) while also making aggressive trades,” one senior adviser said. “Overhauled the roster into a championship squad in a short period of time.”
“Losing (Joel) Quenneville, hiring (Andrew) Brunette, winning the Presidents’ Trophy and still making the move with Paul (Maurice) — Billy’s not afraid to make decisions,” one GM said. “And he’s surrounding himself with some really good hockey people.”
Total points: 151 (3 first-place votes)
CEO: Jed York
General manager: John Lynch
Head coach: Kyle Shanahan
The 49ers, like the Chiefs, have a power coach who was instrumental in selecting the GM.
Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch, after enduring a 10-22 start to their tenure, have reached two Super Bowls and four NFC Championship Games over the past five years. Their 62 regular-season and playoff wins from 2019 to 2023 were the third most in the NFL.
Three former members of the Shanahan/Lynch front office have landed GM jobs elsewhere: Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Minnesota Vikings), Ran Carthon (Tennessee Titans) and Adam Peters (Washington Commanders).
“From the top on down, they’re on the same page, share the vision on how to build a team,” an AFC talent evaluator said. “They hit on late picks, and those guys contribute. They’ve got the best roster (with) seven All-Pros.”
The Niners’ upper-echelon talent rivals any team in the league. They have extended many of their key pieces, even if negotiations have gotten contentious at times with Nick Bosa, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams.
“The issues they had,” said a general manager, referring to this summer’s Aiyuk and Williams holdouts, “were because they have so many good football players.”
The 49ers invested three first-round picks in the ill-fated 2021 draft trade up for quarterback Trey Lance, but the development of Brock Purdy from Mr. Irrelevant into a potential long-term franchise QB made up for Lance’s failure to launch in San Francisco. If they pay Purdy near the top of the market, the challenge then becomes balancing out the roster with those new cap constraints.
The Rest: Remaining teams that received votes
11-21
NFL voters praised Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman and his front office for their analytical and forward-thinking approach to roster-building.
“Howie is really aggressive,” an NFL executive said. “That really stands out about the way they do things. They go for it. He’s not afraid to take risks on players. I think that’s a really good quality when you get into that role, and he’s quick to move on when something isn’t working. Those are attractive traits in a general manager. They’ve also always had guys in Philly who are good evaluators.”
Meanwhile, NBA voters tabbed the front office of the Miami Heat in part for its longevity and stability. Pat Riley has been with the Heat since 1995, and most of the people around him have too. Andy Elisburg, his deputy, actually predates Riley in Miami and has become one of the most respected executives in the NBA. Assistant GM Adam Simon started with the Heat in the video room in 1995 and is part of the team responsible for their hits in the draft and off the scrap heap. Eric Amsler, the VP of player personnel, is in his 21st season with the organization.
“In this day and age where everything is tenuous and owners are so capricious, how about Miami having that whole group there since 1995?” asked one NBA voter. “It’s an incredible testament to consistency and longevity.”
The Baltimore Orioles received a mixture of responses. Some MLB rivals harrumphed about the path president of baseball operations Mike Elias and Co. took toward building the Orioles. The franchise endured three wretched seasons before emerging as upstarts in 2022 and winning the American League East in 2023. If you draft in the top five every summer, some grumbled, you should land quality talent like Adley Rutschman and Jackson Holliday.
Others, of course, were more charitable.
“They never tried to push too fast, let it all evolve, and they’re going to reap the benefits of that patience for a long time,” one MLB executive said.
And the Vegas Golden Knights drew this feedback from one NHL general manager: “Love them or hate them, they’re all about winning.”
22-32
In their first 48 years of existence, the Milwaukee Brewers made the postseason just four times. The club has reached the postseason five times in the past six seasons.
Only once in this recent run, in 2018, has owner Mark Attanasio authorized a payroll that ranked in the sport’s top 12. The team typically gets outspent by about 20 other clubs but remains formidable.
“The Brewers are consistently good on a small payroll,” one MLB executive said.
The Colorado Avalanche turned a bleak decade from 2008 to ’18 into something special and are now trying to balance salary cap issues with competitiveness.
“Good drafting. Great core,” one NHL scouting director said. “Maybe some improvement needed in cap management, but otherwise solid.”
The New York Knicks were the most divisive front office in the NBA among league executives. Rival executives lauded their work but also had questions about the two big swings the team took this past offseason in trading for Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges.
“I think they’re astute and they do a good job of it,” one NBA VP said.
Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane earned high marks around the NFL and once again has the Bills in contention for the franchise’s first Super Bowl title.
“I think Beane is a top-five GM,” said one NFL general manager. “He is super smart, number one. It’s never about him. If you look at the drafting and free agents they have signed, how patient they have been with the head coach, got the quarterback right — that was a 50/50 deal. I’m a big fan of him. I’m a big fan of his coach. He’s got all the right stuff, in a tough market, by the way. This is not a place free agents are clamoring to go to.”
34-44
The word “culture” comes up often in discussions about the Minnesota Twins, who have been helmed by president of baseball operations Derek Falvey and general manager Thad Levine since the fall of 2016.
“Everybody who goes there loves it,” one MLB executive said. “You hear it from every player who played for them. Derek Falvey has done a lot of hard work from a culture standpoint, and it’s made a difference.”
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2022 transition from longtime general manager Kevin Colbert to Omar Khan, who has been with the franchise since 2001, marks the most significant recent change for one of the NFL’s most stable organizations.
Mike Tomlin is the longest-tenured coach in the league and one of only three Steelers head coaches since 1969.
“They are old-school,” one NFL executive said. “They have been in the same defensive system forever, and they are really good at finding players who fit it.”
The San Antonio Spurs were the class of the NBA for nearly two decades, an almost unbelievable reign. While the Spurs have hit some potholes in recent years and transitioned into rebuilding mode (adding Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft helps), they still maintain respect around the league.
Montreal Canadiens executive vice president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton and general manager Kent Hughes haven’t been on the job long, but they have started the slow turnaround process for a team with some serious young talent.
“Kent Hughes doesn’t BS,” one NHL assistant general manager said. “He just goes about his business. I think they have a good plan.”
47-57
Several MLB executives went out of their way to praise Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, the dapper wheeler-dealer who has taken four different franchises to the World Series.
“People s— all over him,” one MLB executive said. “Didn’t go to an Ivy League school, blah, blah, blah. But it’s like that old Winston Churchill quote: ‘However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.’”
The Philadelphia 76ers were a divisive topic, with some NBA voters praising team president Daryl Morey’s creativity and drive and others dismissing his approach to team-building.
“Daryl has balls, but he’s trading stocks from a desk,” one NBA executive said. “I don’t think what he does can win at the highest levels.”
There have been a few folks in the general manager chair over the past decade for the Edmonton Oilers, and it’s Stan Bowman’s spot for now. With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl rightly eating up a big chunk of cap space, the Oilers’ job is a challenge for anyone to try to fit good pieces around two of the game’s biggest stars.
“You can’t ignore the success they’ve had, even with some turnover in the front office,” one NHL scouting director said.
60-69
Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff’s 13-year tenure has produced a pretty decent team, given the factors — including requested changes of scenery — that have gone against the Jets since they moved from Atlanta.
“They draft well, develop their players,” one NHL assistant general manager said. “They’ve taken strides in being more proactive in trades because that had been a roadblock. They probably don’t want to admit it, but it’s a tough place to attract players, and they’ve continued to win.”
Seattle Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto is famed for his affinity for trades, but the Mariners found franchise cornerstone Julio Rodríguez on the international amateur market while drafting rotation mainstays Logan Gilbert, George Kirby and Bryce Miller.
Under Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst, the 2021 champions have kept the main thing the main thing, twice extending star Giannis Antetokounmpo while maintaining a core group around him with Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton. An opportunistic foray to swap Jrue Holiday for Damian Lillard has been the one recent major swing, although the 2020 trade that netted Holiday in the first place played a massive role in their championship. And while Lillard has played much better in Year 2 with the Bucks, that deal — so far, anyway — has hardly worked out as they’d hoped.
T70
One executive described a fifth-place vote for the New York Mets as “purely a vote of confidence for David Stearns,” who in his first year as the team’s president of baseball operations led the Mets to the playoffs.
Under president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank, the Los Angeles Clippers have seemed to do their best when things look bleakest, such as scratching out a 48-win playoff season the year before Kawhi Leonard and George showed up, or this year’s solid start with George gone and Leonard injured.
Owner Steve Ballmer has also invested heavily in the front office. Said the NBA’s lone Clippers voter: “This is going to be controversial because it didn’t work (with Leonard), but those guys are really good.”
Not much love for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who haven’t produced enough wins to go with all the attention around their core and their status in Canada’s biggest market. GM Brad Treliving has a big Mitch Marner decision looming, so we’ll see where the Leafs go from here.
(Top graphic:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6007317/2024/12/30/nba-nhl-nfl-mlb-front-office-rankings/
