The Hawks have finally ripped off the band-aid and parted ways with head coach Nate McMillan , and assistant Joe Prunty will assume interim coaching duties, according to Adrian Wojnarowski.
Prunty was actually the Bucks’ interim in 2018, where he led Milwaukee to a 21-16 record. The Bucks lost in seven games to the Celtics in the opening round of the playoffs. Woj also reported that the top characteristics in the search for Atlanta’s next head coach are development, accountability, and getting the Hawks’ offense and defense into the league’s top 10.
Moreover, it seems the Hawks are already targeting several high-profile candidates, including former Jazz coach Quin Snyder, Bucks assistant Charles Lee, and Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson.
To me, firing Nate McMillan isn’t saving the season. Nothing will turn this team around, but there are positives. It gives the club a head start on the head coaching search compared to others who will join the hiring pool following the season. The Hawks will be a hot landing spot because of the star power of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.
However, it’s not as desirable as some Hawks fans want to convince themselves. For starters, Travis Schlenk, a highly respected name in the business, stepped down unexpectedly in the middle of the season because of Tony Ressler’s decision to include his son, Nick, in more basketball decisions. Now, whoever is hired must answer to some hierarchy that includes both Resslers, GM Landry Fields, and assistant GM Kyle Korver. I would love it if the Hawks defined the front office roles more strictly, but this organization has done nothing to inspire confidence.
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