ATLANTA — The Atlanta Hawks fired head coach Nate McMillan, sources confirmed to Channel 2 Action News Sports Director Zach Klein.
The Hawks currently sit in 8th place in the Eastern Conference at 29-30 (.492) and did not have a player to make this year’s all-star team.
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McMillan tallied a 99-80 record (.553) as head coach of the Hawks, including a 27-11 record (.711) while serving as interim head coach in the second half of the 2020-21 season, according to the team. McMillan guided the Hawks to the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals, their second appearance in Atlanta history.
“I would like to thank Nate for his leadership and professionalism during his time with the Hawks. He is truly a class act, and we appreciate the graciousness and work ethic he brought with him every day,” Hawks General Manager Landry Fields said in a statement. “Decisions like these, especially in-season, are always extremely difficult, but we believe it’s in the best interest of our team to move forward with another voice leading the way.”
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With the Hawks firing McMillan, the team will look to interview former Utah head coach Quin Snyder, Golden State assistant Kenny Atkinson and Milwaukee assistant Charles Lee to fill the opening, league sources told Klein.
Assistant Coach Joe Prunty will be the interim coach as the organization conducts an immediate search to fill the opening.
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Prunty joined the Hawks in July 2021 as lead assistant. Before joining the Hawks, Prunty served as an assistant coach with the Phoenix Suns (2018-19), Milwaukee Bucks (2014-18, including serving as interim head coach over the final 37 games (21-16) of the 2017-18 season and 17 games in 2015-16), Brooklyn Nets (2013-14), Cleveland Cavaliers (2010-13), Portland Trail Blazers (2008-10), Dallas Mavericks (2005-08) and San Antonio Spurs (2000-05), where he won three NBA Championships.
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