- Slug: Sports-Babby Reduced,420
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By RYAN HOWES
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – As the Phoenix Suns predraft workout was wrapping up on Wednesday and the prospects were heading to the bench, the media surrounded Suns general manager Ryan McDonough.
It is a scene that has played out just about every day since the Suns began these workouts more than two weeks ago. Except Wednesday, McDonough wouldn’t be peppered with questions about the workout. The questions focused on Lon Babby, the man who gave McDonough his first shot at being an NBA general manager.
The Suns announced Wednesday morning that Babby would be leaving his position as Suns president of basketball operations to become the team’s senior advisor on Aug 1. Babby said he asked for the reduced role.
“I was looking at a picture the other day of myself at my first press conference and the only president that’s aged more than me in the last five years is Barack Obama, so I’m happy to have a little bit more time with my family, but just sort of the flexibility of a new schedule, reducing my time,” Babby said.
The Yale Law school graduate joined the Suns in August 2010 after a decorated 35-year career as a practicing attorney with DC-based Williams and Connolly, LLP. Sports Business Journal named him as one of the “20 Most Influential Agents” in the nation. He represented several prominent NBA players, including Grant Hill, Tim Duncan and Ray Allen before transitioning into the lead basketball operations role in Phoenix.
“He’s been heavily involved in everything that’s gone on here over the past five years,” McDonough said. “Just speaking from the time coach and I have been here, he’s been a very valuable asset, a valuable resource for the past two years.”
Babby was responsible for the hiring of McDonough in 2013. In collaboration with McDonough and coach Jeff Hornacek, Babby helped turn around a 28-win team in 2012-2013 to a 48-win team the following year.
With Babby stepping away from his day-to-day responsibilities, McDonough’s role will increase. Babby feels the Suns are in good hands.
But by no means does this signal Babby’s retirement.
“I’m not retiring,” Babby said. “I leave it to others for the day-to-day operations in the organization but I think I’ll still be very much involved in the planning and the strategic thinking.”
“We”re still going to lean on him for advice and council, and obviously he has a wealth of experience,” said McDonough. “He’ll still be involved but all of us will take on a little more responsibility.”
