Hawks keep Nate McMillan as head coach with new 4-year deal

After leading the Atlanta Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals, Nate McMillan is shedding the “interim” label on his head coaching duties.

Nate McMillian will be staying on as head coach of the Atlanta Hawks thanks to a new four-year deal. Originally hired on an interim basis, McMillan guided a young Atlanta squad to their first conference finals appearance since 2015.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, general manager Travis Schlenk said a verbal agreement was in place once the Hawks advanced past the second round of the NBA Playoffs.

McMillan did an admirable job helping the fifth-ranked Hawks go on a memorable playoff run.  Many of the team’s core players, including leading scorer Trae Young, were competing in their first-ever playoff games. They upset the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers before eventually surrendering to the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

McMillan agrees to a 4-year deal to continue as Hawks head coach

McMillan was promoted in March to replace outgoing head coach Lloyd Pierce. At the time, the Hawks were underperforming with a 14-20 record. They were 11th in the Eastern Conference, but McMillan took over and completely turned things around. Atlanta went 27-11 to close out the season and claim the fifth seed.

The 56-year-old former Seattle SuperSonic has 16 years of experience as an NBA head coach. He spent five seasons at the helm of the Sonics, seven with the Portland Trail Blazers, and most recently was the bench boss of the Indiana Pacers from 2016-20. McMillan came to Atlanta as an assistant under Pierce, but when the opportunity to take the reins presented itself, it became evident he was the right person for the job.

After a stunning playoff run, there are higher expectations for the Atlanta Hawks. Keeping Nate McMillan on as head coach was an important step toward the ultimate goal of winning the franchise’s first NBA title since 1958.