Hawks in Advanced Talks to Recruit ESPN’s Tim Bontemps for Front Office
A deal has not yet been finalised, and both the Atlanta Hawks and ESPN have declined to comment on the reported negotiations.
ESPN NBA reporter Tim Bontemps is in advanced discussions to join the Atlanta Hawks’ front office, according to sources cited by Front Office Sports. While the move represents a significant shift from broadcast journalism to team administration, a deal has not yet been finalised. Spokespeople for both the Hawks and ESPN declined to comment on the matter.
Bontemps, who joined ESPN in 2018 after stints at the Washington Post and New York Post, would be entering a leadership structure headed by Onsi Saleh. Saleh was promoted from general manager to president of basketball operations and signed a long-term contract extension with the franchise in May. Sources indicate that Bontemps’ potential role would focus on the basketball side of operations, distinguishing it from narrative or storytelling positions often held by former media members.
This recruitment aligns with a broader pattern of basketball media professionals transitioning into team front offices. The trend has seen individuals move from reporting roles into strategic or operational capacities within NBA and WNBA organisations. For instance, Kevin Pelton recently left ESPN to join the Connecticut Sun, which sources note will become the revamped Houston Comets, while Athletic writer Ben Pickman moved to the Portland Fire.
Other examples of this crossover include former ESPN editor Cristina Daglas, who joined the Washington Wizards and Mystics last year, and Sports Illustrated writer Lee Jenkins, who joined the Los Angeles Clippers in 2018. These roles have varied significantly, with some members serving as narrative guides while others, such as Pelton and former Grizzlies analyst John Hollinger, have been involved in actual basketball strategy.
Bontemps’ background includes writing and appearing on television across ESPN’s studio programming. If the negotiations conclude successfully, he would join a growing cohort of journalists leveraging their industry knowledge for internal team operations. The outcome of these talks remains uncertain until a formal agreement is reached.
