Hawks HC Nate McMillan's days could be numbered
The Atlanta Hawks return home on Jan. 11. Their head coach may not be coming with them.
In the midst of a turbulent season and a four-game losing streak, Hawks Coach Nate McMillan is on the hot seat. His team went 5-9 in December, then lost their first game of 2023 in double-OT to the Warriors.
Shams Charania reported last week that McMillan was "strongly considering resigning," though he said it was not imminent.
Hawks CEO Steve Koonin strongly denied the report on a radio show, calling it "trash journalism."
Koonin may think the story is made up, but there's reason to believe McMillan's job isn't secure, despite his contract running through 2024-25. Atlanta's team president, Travis Schlenk, stepped down two weeks ago. The Hawks also fired three front-office executives last week.
McMillan has clashed with star Trae Young all year, with one argument leading to Young skipping a game, after not participating in shootaround. It's unlikely Young is going anywhere, nor is Dejounte Murray. John Collins is on the trading block, but it's not clear there's a large trade market for him.
If the Hawks truly want to shake up their team, they have one big move left, and that's letting McMillan go. The rest of the Hawks' West Coast trip, with games remaining against Sacramento and both Los Angeles teams, might well determine McMillan's future.
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