Who is set to coach the Atlanta Hawks after the firing of Nate McMillan?

published

Who is set to coach the Atlanta Hawks after the franchise fired head coach Nate McMillan?

On Tuesday, the Atlanta Hawks fired their head coach Nate McMillan and appointed assistant coach Joe Prunty as the interim head coach. The team is now in search of a new coach to replace McMillan and sources say that former Hawks assistant coach Quin Snyder is their top choice. The team currently holds the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference with a 29-30 record.

Nate McMillan Hawks 1 1
The Atlanta Hawks have fired Nate McMillan (Image source: Fox News)

According to sources, the Hawks’ new general manager Landry Fields will start looking for a new coach as early as Tuesday. Snyder, who worked as an assistant under Mike Budenholzer during his previous tenure with the Hawks, is the leading candidate for the job at 56 years of age. Sources from ESPN report that apart from Quin Snyder, Milwaukee Bucks’ associate head coach Charles Lee and Golden State Warriors’ assistant Kenny Atkinson are also being considered for the head coach position of the Atlanta Hawks.

The decision to replace Nate McMillan was not a sudden one, as he was expected to depart after the end of the season, but the management took action earlier in the hopes of securing a playoff spot. This is the second significant management change for the Hawks, with Landry Fields recently being appointed as the team’s top basketball decision-maker, taking over from Travis Schlenk, who resigned in December last year.

How did Nate McMillan’s stint for the Atlanta Hawks pan out?

During his time as head coach of the Hawks, McMillan had a record of 99-80.

images 2023 02 22T220551.705 1
The Hawks were 99-80 under McMillan’s stint as head coach

McMillan was initially hired as an assistant under Lloyd Pierce, but became interim head coach in 2021. After leading the team to the Eastern Conference finals that same year, McMillan was given a four-year contract. Prunty, who replaced McMillan as interim head coach, also has prior experience with the Bucks, where he achieved a 21-16 record during the regular season.

Joe Prunty 022123 getty ftr
The Atlanta Hawks’ new interim head coach Joe Prunty

Snyder, who was the top candidate, resigned from his position as head coach of the Utah Jazz following the 2021-22 season. During his tenure, the Jazz had six consecutive appearances in the Western Conference playoffs and reached the conference semifinals three times.

More News:

Why was Laker’s Dennis Schroder arrested outside a hookah bar in Georgia?

Atlanta Hawks’ Season Review so far

Los Angeles Lakers vs Atlanta Hawks Dream 11 prediction: Fantasy tips & Starting line-up updates