Former NBA Head Coach Has 'Mutual Interest' With Atlanta Hawks: Report

The Atlanta Hawks have reportedly began formal discussions to quickly hire former Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder for the same position, league sources confirmed to The Athletic's Shams Charania Thursday (February 23) morning.

Snyder reportedly participated in a virtual meeting with the Hawks on Wednesday (February 22) as he was believed to be out of the country at the time and there's said to have "been mutual interest between" both sides, according to the sources. The report comes less than 48 hours after the team dismissed former head coach Nate McMillan.

Other reported candidates for the Hawks' head coaching vacancy include Milwaukee Bucks assistant Charles Lee, Sacramento Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez, Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson, San Antonio Spurs assistant Mitch Johnson and G League South Bay Lakers head coach Miles Simon.

Snyder is, however, believed to be the Hawks' focal point of their search, according to Charania.

Snyder has an NBA head coaching record of 372-264 during eight seasons (2014-22), all of which were spent with the Jazz. Utah made the playoffs during each of his final six seasons, but never advanced past the Western Conference semifinals and had been eliminated in the first round in 2022.

McMillan was initially hired as an assistant to former head coach Lloyd Pierce prior to the 2020-21 and took over as interim after the team's decision to fire Pierce on March 1, 2021. The Hawks immediately went on an eight-game winning streak and made their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in franchise history during the coach's interim campaign.

But Atlanta has failed to match lofty expectations since, having been eliminated in the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs last year and currently ranks eighth in the conference standings, despite acquiring All-Star guard Dejounte Murray this past offseason and franchise point guard Trae Young.

McMillan concluded his tenure in Atlanta with a 99-80 overall record, which includes a 29-30 record through the first 59 games of the 2022-23 NBA season. The former NBA guard has an overall head coaching record of 760-668, which includes past stints with the Seattle Supersonics (now-Oklahoma City Thunder), whom he spent his entire playing career with, as well as the Portland Trail Blazers and Indiana Pacers.