There’s trouble brewing in Atlanta this New Year. Amid major struggles on the basketball court, experts and critics have been keeping a close eye on the Hawks and what happens as they attempt to build a contender around Trae Young.
Unfortunately for Atlanta, Young has been the subject of some controversy recently involving head coach Nate McMillan.
Last month, Trae even missed a game because of a situation between him and McMillan.
Hawks All-NBA guard Trae Young and coach Nate McMillan had an exchange at Friday’s shootaround that led to Young choosing not to attend the team’s home win.
While Young was receiving treatment on his right shoulder, sources say McMillan asked him whether he would participate in shootaround, receive treatment during walk-through and play in the game against the Nuggets. But Young made it clear that he wanted to focus solely on his treatment while missing shootaround and deciding later in the day whether he would play.
That approach, however, was not McMillan-approved. Since the face of the Hawks’ franchise was deciding not to take part in shootaround, McMillan ultimately presented him with two options for that night’s game, sources said: Play off the bench — or do not show up to the arena.
Things didn’t end there for the Hawks. Shortly after this story emerged, reports of a possible resignation by the coach began to pick up steam.
Nate McMillan Responds To Rumors Of His Resignation
As the Hawks continue to slide down the standings, there is a sense that McMillan is indeed on the hot seat… but he hasn’t confirmed for himself whether or not he’ll retire after this season.
(via Nekias Duncan of Basketball News)
Fast forward to Friday, before the Lakers loss, and we get a report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania that McMillan has considered resigning from the job. When asked about the report, McMillan didn’t necessarily shut things down:
“I read that article briefly, I’ve never spoke to that reporter before,” McMillan said. “I think the last two weeks, he’s written a couple articles with some sources in our organization that are making some comments about me, and some things that I’m saying and doing. Look, at the end of the year, I’ll do as I’ve always done, at the end of the season I talk with my family and see if I still have that flame, that fire to continue next season. That’s the end of the season. All of us think about retiring, but that’s at the end of the season. So we’ll move on past that.”
McMillan quitting mid-season would be pretty shocking, especially since Steve Nash did the same thing already back in the fall. But what would his departure mean for the Hawks?
With a clear culture/identity crisis for the organization, there’s a lot this team still has to figure out, and it’ll be interesting to see how they respond to it all.
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