The front offices of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics and Miami Heat rank in the top-3 in a poll of 40 executives around the NBA conducted by The Athletic. Each executive ranked their top five, and points were allotted the same way they are in NBA MVP voting: 10 points for first place, seven points for second place, five points for third, three points for fourth and one point for fifth.
The Thunder received 29 first place votes and nine second place votes.
“OKC, they’re so well positioned, Jesus Christ, for the next five years,” one assistant GM said.
The Celtics received nine first place votes and 19 second place votes.
Miami received seven second place votes and 10 third place votes. Pat Riley has been with the Heat since 1995, while his deputy, Andy Elisburg, predates him.
“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 person who voted for the Heat. “It’s an incredible testament to consistency and longevity.”
The Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves round out the top-5.