5 candidates to replace Nate McMillan as Pacers head coach

1. Kenny Atkinson

Atkinson took on the rebuild in Brooklyn, and the Nets went 42-40 and made the playoffs in 2018-19 (his third season). The future looks very bright after the signings of Kevin Durant (once he’s healthy) and Kyrie Irving. But Atkinson will not be the coach to lead the team to its ideal greatest heights, as he was let go in March.

Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo! Sports cited a source that said Atkinson “pushed for the parting” more than the Nets did. Goodwill further reported that Irving soured on Atkinson early, as if that should be a big demerit point to any coach. But it’s always been obvious that Irving and Durant will have a significant say in who their coach is, lest they pout about it if their input isn’t regarded and things aren’t going well.

Atkinson seemed like a no-brainer hire for the New York Knicks before they hired the lingering favorite Tom Thibodeau. But the Knicks’ loss is the gain of the other teams with an opening. Atkinson showed he could build a program in Brooklyn, before seeming to assess he wasn’t going to be able to deal with the pillow-soft egos of Irving and Durant. If the Pacers prioritize hiring a long-term culture builder, he looks like a very nice fit.