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Orlando Magic hire Milwaukee Bucks GM John Hammond as team general manager

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Jun 24, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Bucks general manager John Hammond (L), second round pick Malcolm Brogdon (13), first round pick Thon Maker (7), and head coach Jason Kidd (R) pose for a photo during an introduction press conference at the Milwaukee Bucks training facility. Mandatory Credit: Sam Caravana- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY Sports
Jun 24, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Bucks general manager John Hammond (L), second round pick Malcolm Brogdon (13), first round pick Thon Maker (7), and head coach Jason Kidd (R) pose for a photo during an introduction press conference at the Milwaukee Bucks training facility. Mandatory Credit: Sam Caravana- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY Sports /
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The Orlando Magic have hired Milwaukee Bucks general manager John Hammond to fill the same role for the team under new hire Jeff Weltman.

The Orlando Magic have hired Milwaukee Bucks general manager John Hammond to serve as general manager under new president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman.

Hammond was the general manager for the Bucks since 2008. He has more than 35 years of executive experience in the NBA, working for the Minnesota Timberwolves, LA Clippers and Detroit Pistons.

Weltman worked with Hammond as Hammond’s assistant general manager from 2008-13, his first five seasons with the Bucks. Weltman also worked with Hammond when Hammond was the vice president of basketball operations with the Pistons.

This is a big hire of one of the most experienced and respected front office executives in the league. A big get for the Magic as they prepare to enter this new phase.

"“John (Hammond) brings tremendous experience and is a great talent evaluator,” Weltman said in a press release. “He has experience in everything from day-to-day operations to player development. He built a great team in Milwaukee, and won a championship while in Detroit. We are very fortunate to have him as part of the Magic family.”"

Success has seemingly followed Hammond everywhere he has gone.

As an assistant coach with the Clippers under Larry Brown, he helped coach the team to a Playoff berth in 1992 and 1993. When he returned to the Clippers with Alvin Gentry as an assistant coach, he helped get the Clippers to a 16-win improvement with Darius Miles, Quentin Richardson and Keyon Dooling as part of the team’s young core.

As he moved into the front office, he continued to be successful. He was the vice president of basketball operations with the Pistons when they began their run to six straight Eastern Conference Finals, including the 2003 NBA championship.

His time as the general manager and chief decision maker with the Bucks has also been a wild success.

In eight years as general manager of the Bucks, the team made four playoff appearances including two of the past three years. He mined Khris Middleton from obscurity and he took the risk and drafted Giannis Antetokounmpo to lay the foundation for that franchise.

Hammond has not had the individual team success perhaps that many would want, but he has done a good job setting the table for the Bucks. It appears that franchise is set up for the near future.

His relationship with Weltman will prove to be beneficial too. The two worked together from 2008-2013 before Weltman moved on to work for the Toronto Raptors.

The Magic will have a lot for their new front office to sort through. After a 29-53 season, the team still believes it can improve quickly. It will have four picks in the upcoming draft to help do that and limited funds in free agency.

The only question for the front office left remaining is whether the team retains interim general manager Matt Lloyd in some capacity. He obviously will not become the team’s general manager, but it is widely believed (and reported) the Magic want to keep him on staff in some capacity.

Certainly, he would help for continuity in leading the Magic’s current draft preparations.

Next: Orlando Magic hire Jeff Weltman as president of basketball operations

The baseline for the Magic is established now. The team has its key front office players are in place.