Report: Hawks extension with Quin Snyder 'looming'

There was some frustration from the Atlanta Hawks fan base with the team’s performance over the final three games of its first-round series against the New York Knicks, causing a portion to point the finger at head coach Quin Snyder for his inability to adjust.

But anybody blaming Snyder for Atlanta losing by 50 in a win-or-go-home Game 6 in the Hawks’ own building is probably having trouble accepting that this team was never a true championship contender. The Hawks were punching well above their weight class, and the job Snyder did to get Atlanta into playoff position following the trade of star point guard Trae Young should be praised, not torn down because a better and more experienced team eventually figured out how to exploit an undermanned Hawks roster.

This team took major strides under Snyder’s watch, both offensively and defensively, while playing a brand of basketball fans should be proud of. Keeping him and this core together is paramount to establishing sustained success, which the Hawks are reportedly close to doing, with Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reporting that a massive extension for Snyder is looming, one that could make him one of the highest-paid head coaches in the league.

“I’m told that Bickerstaff’s new deal, like the pact Taylor Jenkins just scored in Milwaukee, features an eight-figure annual salary,” Fischer wrote.

“That’s the same ballpark we’re expecting to see for what sources say is a looming extension in Atlanta for Quin Snyder as well. It’s not just Mike Brown in New York commanding those kinds of figures; that has become the going rate for proven head coaches.”

Snyder has been the head coach in Atlanta for three full seasons, and in each of those years, the Hawks have improved their win total, culminating in 46 victories and a sixth-place finish in the Eastern Conference this season.

Before arriving in Atlanta, Snyder led the Utah Jazz to the playoffs in six consecutive seasons. He’s an accomplished head coach and one of the best options to help this young Hawks team transition into a legitimate contender.

There was never much chance the Hawks were going to move on from Snyder because of three bad games to end the season, something CEO Steve Koonin made abundantly clear earlier this offseason when he hinted Snyder would be in Atlanta for a long time.

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