Atlanta Hawks’ Nate McMillan denies report he considered resigning after CEO Steve Koonin blasted ‘trash’ and ‘work’ information… but head coach will weigh retirement at season’s end
Atlanta Hawks head coach Nate McMillan denied a report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania that the coach was considering resigning, but told reporters he may consider retiring at the end of the season.
The Hawks have not only underperformed on the court this year but have also dealt with chemistry issues in the locker that have led to trade rumors swirling around All-NBA point guard Trae Young, however the Athletic reports states that no resignation from McMillan is imminent.
‘I’ve never spoken to that reporter,’ McMillan said when asked about the matter on Friday. ‘I think in the last two weeks that he has written some articles with some sources in our organization making some comments about me.’
Hawks coach Nate McMillan has denied reports that he is considering resigning in the middle of the season
Star player Trae Young’s dissatisfaction with McMillan and the team’s chemistry sparked trade rumors that also raised questions about McMillan’s future.
‘At the end of the year I will do what I always do. At the end of the season I’ll talk to my family and see if I still have that fire, that fire will continue into next season but that’s at the end of the season.’
However, Hawks CEO Steve Koonin went on the radio, on 92.9 The Game, earlier today to deny the report calling the story ‘trash journalism,’ saying ‘It’s made up. I literally call Shams. This is just hack journalism. Hack.’
McMillan’s job status first began to be questioned earlier this season after he and Young exchanged a pregame shoot around that resulted in Young staying home during a Dec. 2 game against the Nuggets.
Atlanta has performed below expectations this season and struggled on the court
Tensions between McMillan and Young fueled rumors about the pair’s status in the organization
His job is currently considered safe according to league sources with knowledge of the situation.
The Hawks entered this season with expectations of being one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference after finishing sixth last year, before winning just one game in the postseason and being eliminated by the Miami Heat.
The previous season, McMillan led the Hawks to the team’s first appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals since 2014.
The Hawks also traded for all-star point guard Dejounte Murray this summer, but that didn’t improve the situation in Atlanta.
The team currently has a record of 17-18 and sits in ninth place in the Eastern Conference.
Amid the upheaval, Atlanta also made changes to the front office structure as former team president Travis Schlenk moved into an advisory role, making first-year general manager Landry Fields the new lead decision-making in basketball-related matters.
Fields has not hesitated to begin molding the team in his image and has already talked about a trade revolving around power forward John Collins.
Former Knick Landry Fields was put in charge of basketball operations as Hawks GM
