NBA
Why did the Atlanta Hawks fire coach Nate McMillan?
The Hawks sit 8th in the Eastern Conference and with real chances to enter the playoffs.
The news comes as a big surprise because the Hawks had a real chance to enter the playoffs. They are in 8th place in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 29-30. Atlanta made it to the playoffs in the last three prions seasons. They made it to the third round in 20-21 when they lost against the then-champs Milwaukee Bucks.
Their run under coach McMillan has been positive since he came on to the team in the 20-21 season. McMillan has served as head coach for 1,428 games with the Atlanta Hawks, the Seattle SuperSonics, the Portland Trail Blazers, and the Indiana Pacers. He ranks 17th all-time among NBA head coaches in terms of experience.
It is unclear why the Hawks fired their legendary coach but according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, “The Hawks are starting a search for a new head coach immediately. Among the top characteristics in the search: player development, accountability and getting Hawks offense and defense into league’s Top 10.”
What is the Atlanta Hawks’ plan for a new coach?
Among the possible candidates are former Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder, Milwaukee Bucks assistant Charles Lee, and Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson.
For now, the team’s assistant, Joe Prunty, will take charge of the team until a decision is made and will coach the team for the rest of the season.