Zach Kleiman, the Memphis Grizzlies’ vice president of basketball operations, was named the NBA Executive of the Year for 2021-22, the league announced Thursday.
With 16, Kleiman received the overwhelming majority of first-place votes. With two first-place votes, Cleveland Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman came in second.
Kleiman, 33, has been named Executive of the Year for the first time since 1972-73.
Kleiman has overseen a remarkable turnaround after taking over as the Grizzlies’ top decision-maker in April 2019. Among other major moves, he hired head coach Taylor Jenkins, selected Ja Morant at No. 2 overall in 2019, traded for talented reserve forward Brandon Clarke, and drafted wing Desmond Bane in 2020.
Kleiman has also signed Dillon Brooks and Jaren Jackson Jr. to multi-year contract extensions.
The Grizzlies matched their previous franchise record of 56 wins this season. Memphis currently trails the Golden State Warriors 3-2 in the Western Conference semifinals. However, the Grizz are expected to be without Morant for the remainder of the postseason due to a bone bruise in his knee.
