Hawks fire coach Nate McMillan

The Atlanta Hawks have fired coach Nate McMillan, the team announced on Tuesday.

McMillan joined Atlanta as an assistant coach on Lloyd Pierce’s staff prior to the 2020-21 season. He was promoted to head coach midseason and posted a record of 99-80 over the next two-plus seasons.

McMillan is one of the most experienced head coaches in NBA history, ranking 17th with 1,428 games coached across stints with Atlanta, Seattle, Portland and Indiana.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to report the move.

The Hawks (29-30) are currently 8th in the Eastern Conference standings. According to Wojnarowski, the Hawks have begun to search for a new coach and former Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder is “expected to be at the top of the list.”

The Hawks are starting a search for a new head coach immediately, sources tell ESPN. Among the top characteristics in the search: player development, accountability and getting Hawks offense and defense into league’s Top 10.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 21, 2023

ESPN Sources: The Hawks are planning a wide-ranging search, but one candidate expected to be at the top of the list: Former Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder. Others expected to be considered include Bucks assistant Charles Lee, Golden State assistant Kenny Atkinson.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 21, 2023

Charles Lee – who served as an assistant under Mike Budenholzer in Atlanta from 2014-2018 – will be a serious candidate for the Hawks’ head coach opening, sources said. Lee was promoted to associate head coach of the Bucks last offseason. https://t.co/rKNx3VlGQX

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 21, 2023

Assistant coach Joe Prunty will serve as Atlanta’s interim head coach.

Prunty was 21-16 as the Bucks interim coach in 2018. Milwaukee lost in seven games to Boston in the opening round of the playoffs. Atlanta is 29-30 and eighth in the East now.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 21, 2023