Hawks GM Fields says Snyder a candidate to replace McMillan

Editor's Note: After this Associated Press articlewas written yesterday, Shams Charania of the Athleticreported Thursday morning that the Atlanta Hawks have begunformal discussions with former Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder in"an attempt to swiftly hire" him for the same position.ATLANTA (AP) —Atlanta Hawks general manager LandryFields said Wednesday former Utah coach Quin Snyder is among thosebeing considered to replace Nate McMillan.

The Hawks (29-30) fired McMillan on Tuesday. Fields stressedthat Atlanta’s eighth-place standing in the Eastern Conference isnot acceptable for a team that advanced to the conference finals in2021.

Snyder, 56, was 372-264 as Utah’s coach from 2014-22. He guidedthe Jazz to six consecutive playoff appearances before steppingdown after last season.

Fields said Snyder’s availability “is a factor in the sense thatI feel comfortable mentioning his name, but there are othercandidates I don’t want to mention because they are a part of otherteams.”

Snyder was a Hawks assistant in 2013-14.

Other possible candidates include Golden State assistant KennyAtkinson and Milwaukee assistant Charles Lee, both former Atlantaassistants.

Fields said he has started talking with potential candidates andcould make a hire this season. Assistant coach Joe Prunty beganserving as interim coach at practice Wednesday but may not beinvolved in the interview process for the full-time position.

“To do this now, sort of last minute, there’s enough on Joe’splate,” Fields said, adding that his message to Prunty is “justfocus on the task at hand and we’ll cover everything elselater.”

McMillan, 58, went 99-80 as Atlanta’s coach, including a 27-11record as interim in the second half of the 2020-21 season. Hissuccess that season in leading Atlanta to the Eastern Conferencefinals earned him the full-time position.

The Hawks are hoping for a similar late-season revival underPrunty, but players say consistency and accountability mustimprove.

“It ain’t on Nate McMillan,” guard Dejounte Murray said afterpractice. “We’ve all got to look in the mirror.”

Added center Clint Capela: “It’s on all of us. ... Consistency,we just have to be better.”

McMillan couldn’t follow up on the 2021 success. The Hawks lostto Miami in the first round of the playoffs last season aftersurviving the play-in tournament.

Hawks forward John Collins said McMillan “was a great coach” butadded “we need a different type of guidance” from the nextcoach.

When asked if accountability from players was lacking underMcMillan, Collins said, “Yeah, I definitely feel we can do a betterjob with that.”

Prunty, who has been an NBA assistant coach since 1996, hasprevious experience as an interim coach. He posted a 21-16 recordwith Milwaukee after Jason Kidd was fired during the 2017-18season.

“It definitely helps, for sure, but every situation isdifferent,” Prunty said. “... The reality is it’s very difficult tomake wholesale changes. There may be things that could be tweakedhere and there.”

Collins described Prunty as “a cool, calm coach, realrelaxed.”

“I feel we’re all comfortable with Joe,” Collins said.“Hopefully, it can be a smooth transition.”

Atlanta, which plays at home against Cleveland on Friday night,is struggling to remain in the top 10 in the conference for areturn spot in the play-in field. The Hawks lost four of six gamesbefore the All-Star break and are only one game ahead of 10th-placeToronto in the East.

Fields said he considered a coaching change for one month andwas influenced by back-to-back losses to Charlotte and the New YorkKnicks before the break.

“I do believe there was slippage and I felt that was a need weneeded to address,” Fields said.

Fields said he did not consult point guard Trae Young or otherplayers before making the move. Fields said speculation thatMcMillan’s efforts were affected by conflicts with Young wereunfair to the player and were not a factor in his decision to makea coaching change.

Young was not made available for interviews on Wednesday.

Overall in 19 seasons, McMillan has a 760-668 record with theSeattle SuperSonics, Portland Trail Blazers, Indiana Pacers andHawks.