The rebuilding time is over for the Atlanta Hawks, although the franchise results this season don’t suggest it (14 wins, 20 losses). Franchise executives, only eleventh in the East, announced on Monday that they were parting ways with their coach, Lloyd Pierce, who took over as the team leader in 2018.
– –
Pierce, 44, will be replaced by his assistant, Nate McMillan, former coach of the Indiana Pacers in particular – but also of Seattle and Portland. The latter made sure to have the approval of his ex-colleague to accept the promotion. With an enormous experience (1,258 matches, 667 victories, 16 seasons as head coach), McMillan will therefore have the mission of truly launching the season of a team that claims to play the play-offs this season, in the in the wake of its star, point guard Trae Young, and after a promising offseason which saw the arrivals of Danilo Gallinari, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Rajon Rondo in particular.
– –
“We felt it was the best choice for the organization to move forward”
Travis Schlenk, general manager of the Hawks
— –
« As we announced at the start of the season, our goal was to improve this yearGeneral manager Travis Schlenk recalled at a press conference. Moving forward. We felt it was not happening as quickly as we would have liked. These are not easy decisions. These are choices that affect many families, and they are not simple. But we felt it was the best choice for the organization to move forward. »
– –
To Pierce’s defense, the Hawks’ start to the season has been marred by many injuries, such as rookie Kris Dunn, who has still not set foot on a floor this season (ankle) and Bojan Boganovic (knee) now has 25 missed matches.
– – .
