The Era Of Nate McMillan In Atlanta Has Ended

On Tuesday, the Atlanta Hawks fired their coach, Nate McMillan, in order to start an immediate search for a new one. Joe Prunty will fill in as interim coach until the team’s new general manager, Landry Fields, can decide on the one he wants. With only half of their season left and 31 games still remaining, the Hawks are eager to find a replacement soon so they can make a run into the playoffs. Leading candidate Quin Snyder is expected to be strongly considered as the team looks to provide McMillan’s successor with the tools needed to turn around the franchise and continue playing at a high level.

The Atlanta Hawks are continuing to make changes after their President of basketball operations Travis Schlenk stepped down on Dec. 21, making it their second significant change in leadership this season. With the role vacated, current Vice President of Basketball Administration, Antony Fields has officially taken on the task as the franchise’s top basketball decision-maker. Sources say that some names popping up in the discussion will include Nate Snyder, who previously worked as an assistant coach under Mike Budenholzer for the Hawks. Additionally, Bucks associate head coach Charles Lee and Golden State Warriors’ assistant Kenny Atkinson are both said to be part of the process. Sporting a new team infrastructure and outlook, it’ll be interesting to see what progress and growth develop from these changes.

Tyrone Snyder had an incredibly successful career with the Jazz, leading them to six consecutive appearances in the Western Conference playoffs and three berths in the conference semifinals. With his resignation after the 2021-22 season, it’s clear that Snyder is still seen as a highly desirable coaching candidate around the league. The Atlanta Hawks have identified Snyder as a top candidate for their upcoming job search. With an affinity for player development and holding players accountable, they feel he could lead them to move up in both offensive and defensive rankings come next season. It’ll be interesting to see how this search plays out considering it has been highlighted by both speed and intent.

Hoping to create a unified and recognizable identity that is synonymous with the Atlanta Hawks going forward, President of Basketball Operations Travis Schlenk and general manager Clint Fields are looking for a coach to lead their franchise with the same character. With former head coach Lloyd Pierce out of the picture, the cards have been shuffled with Bucks assistant and former interim coach, Darvin Prunty. Prunty has prior experience in replacing former coaches; he took over Jason Kidd back in 2018 and finished the regular season with 21 wins – indicating his ability to keep composure while leading an entirely new team. Fields believes that Prunty’s previous knowledge and experience make him an ideal candidate to set the basic standards of what it means to be a Hawk player – uniting long-time fans and players alike in hope of creating a legacy unique to Atlanta.

The Atlanta Hawks shocked many this season when they unexpectedly advanced to the Eastern Conference finals after their interim head coach Nate McMillan took over the team mid-season. His success in the playoffs secured him a well-deserved four-year contract and the respect of his players, who are now angling for a championship run under his leadership. With McMillan at the helm, The Hawks have had an impressive 99-80 record so far, while ranking 16th in offensive efficiency and 21st in defensive this season. The success of this team is due in large part to McMillan’s oversight and coaching prowess; if he can steer them all the way to hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy, it would be a dream come true for everyone within Falconland.