Atlanta Hawks Interested in Former Sixers Assistant?

The Atlanta Hawks are making a significant change as they enter the final stretch of the regular season. Although the Hawks were fully expected to part ways with their head coach Nate McMillan in the offseason, the team cut the cord early and made the change earlier this week.

With McMillan out of the picture, the Hawks have named Joe Prunty the Interim Head Coach. While he’ll take over coaching duties for the time being, Atlanta is focused on a handful of candidates to replace McMillan potentially.

The initial wave of candidates reported by multiple insiders include South Bay Lakers coach Miles Simon, San Antonio Spurs assistant Mitch Johnson, Sacramento Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez, Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson, Milwaukee Bucks assistant Charles Lee, and former Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder.

On Wednesday night, NBA reporter Marc Stein added another candidate in the mix, noting that former Philadelphia 76ers assistant Ime Udoka is on Atlanta’s radar. Last season, Udoka embarked on his first season as a head coach, running the Boston Celtics.

Among the candidates being considered for the Hawks' coaching vacancy, league sources say, is former Celtics coach Ime Udoka.

More NBA from me: https://t.co/A6ycVmnrjq
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 23, 2023

After snagging the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics made a deep playoff run, winning the Eastern Conference Finals over the top-seeded Miami Heat. Boston’s championship run ended with a Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors.

Before the start of the 2022-2023 NBA season, Udoka was suspended for the entire year due to violations of team policies. At that point, Udoka’s future as the Celtics’ head coach was in question. Now, it’s clear Udoka won’t return to coach the Celtics beyond this season.

As Udoka’s replacement, Joe Mazzulla, has helped maintain Boston’s dominance this season, the Celtics have removed the interim title from Mazzulla’s job description, named him the head coach, and signed him to an extension.

With Udoka free to go anywhere he wants, the Hawks have become a potential suitor. However, their priorities seem to be on former Jazz head coach Quin Snyder. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Hawks have started formal discussions with Snyder this week.

In Charania’s words, they are “attempting to hire Snyder swiftly during the season.” Apparently, there has been mutual interest between the Hawks and Snyder.

Currently, Atlanta sits 29-30 in the eighth seed of the Eastern Conference returning from the All-Star break. To say they’ve been underwhelming this season would be an understatement. The last time Snyder coached during the 2021-2022 season, the Jazz clinched a playoff spot with a 49-33 record. They came up short in the first round.

Over an eight-year span coaching the Jazz, Snyder’s teams have made the playoffs all but two times. They’ve made it out of the first round three times and never clinched a spot in the Western Conference Finals. Meanwhile, the Hawks have made the playoffs over the last two years.

Although Atlanta came up short in the first round last year, losing to the Heat in five games, they made an Eastern Conference Finals run two years ago, snagging upsets against the New York Knicks and the Sixers before coming up short against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Udoka could be the best bet for the Hawks if they are looking for a coach that has experience of making it out of the second round, but they seem much more focused on Snyder, who brings years of experience without baggage.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.