Hawks coach Nate McMillan responds to report suggesting he may resign: 'We'll move on past that'
After a report emerged Friday afternoon suggesting that Atlanta Hawks coach Nate McMillan is strongly considering resigning amid a disappointing 17-18 start, the Hawks coach responded to the report prior to his team's game against the Lakers.
"I read that article briefly, I've never spoke to that reporter before," McMillan said. "I think the last two weeks he's written a couple articles with some sources in our organization that are making some comments about me, and some things that I'm saying and doing. Look, at the end of the year, I'll do as I've always done, at the end of the season I talk with my family and see if I still have that flame, that fire to continue next season. That's the end of the season. All of us think about retiring, but that's at the end of the season. So we'll move on past that."
Based on that response, McMillan didn't really refute the reporting from The Athletic's Shams Charania, who also said that McMillan's job appears to be safe for the remainder of the season if he decides against resigning. McMillan got the job initially when the team fired former head coach Lloyd Pierce in the middle of the 2020-21 season.
Hawks CEO Steve Koonin appeared on 929 The Game in Atlanta Friday to dispute the story, calling it "trash journalism." He went on to add that "This is made up stuff. I am literally calling Shams out. It is just hack journalism. Hack."
Under McMillan the Hawks have struggled despite the offseason addition of All-Star guard Dejounte Murray. Things only got worse when Trae Young did not attend a Game following an exchange at a shootaround that Young skipped to receive treatment for an injury. McMillan reportedly told Young that he would have to come off the bench or miss the Game for skipping shootaround, and Young chose the latter. Last week, McMillan shared some of his struggles in connecting with modern players to reporters.
"I'm coaching in a different generation of players that I played with and really kind of coached," McMillan, who was first hired as a head coach by the Seattle Supersonics in 2000, told reporters. "It's different the way you communicate, the way the game is played and how they see the game."
The Hawks have undergone a major front office change in recent weeks as well, with former general manager Travis Schlenk getting bumped into an advisory role. Three other executives, senior adviser Rod Higgins, director of pro scouting Stephen Giles and vice president of player personnel Derek Pierce, have all been let go, according to Charania. Landry Fields has taken over as general manager, and while discussions between him and McMillan have been positive, the team has ultimately failed to live up to expectations. Whether that is now or in the future, it is going to fall on the head coach.
Coaching in the modern NBA is largely about building and maintaining relationships with superstar players. If McMillan can't work with Young, the Hawks will have no choice but to reassess the viability of that partnership. And if McMillan himself doubts the relationship, that reassessment could come sooner rather than later.
Comments
Post a Comment