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Atlanta Hawks Name Final 4 Candidates for Head Coaching Job

By Chris Guest

PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 6: Assistant coach, Lloyd Pierce talks with Robert Covington #33 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the game against the Boston Celtics during a preseason on October 6, 2017 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 6: Assistant coach, Lloyd Pierce talks with Robert Covington #33 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the game against the Boston Celtics during a preseason on October 6, 2017 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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After the departure of Mike Budenholzer as head coach, the Atlanta Hawks have reportedly narrowed their search to a final four of Lloyd Pierce, Jay Larranaga, Nate Tibbetts and Stephen Silas.

According to Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Pierce is the clear-cut frontrunner due to his time as an assistant during the Philadelphia 76ers “Process” era – a time in which the team won only ten games just two seasons ago.

Clearly, the 76ers have an impressive culture of developing young players, as Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons exploded onto the scene this season and catapulted Philly to the 3-seed in the Eastern Conference. Though they are currently on the brink of getting swept by the higher-seeded Celtics, the team is resplendent with young talent – a (hopefully) similar situation to the what the Hawks will have in the coming seasons.

Pierce met with GM Travis Schlenk on Friday and is expected to meet with Hawks owner Tony Ressler this week. If the meeting goes well, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, a job offer for Pierce is likely forthcoming.

Larranaga is also in the running, and he was the head coach of the Hawks G-League affiliate Erie BayHawks from 2010 to 2012 (before the team was associated with the NBA’s Hawks), and has been a lead assistant for the Celtics under Doc Rivers and Brad Stevens since 2012.

Assistant coach Nate Tibbetts of the Blazers has already met with owner Tony Ressler, and his background with developing the star backcourt of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum could play a role in the Hawks’ head coaching decision.

Lastly, the Hawks met with Hornets assistant coach Stephen Silas last week. Schlenk worked with Silas between 2006 and 2011 when both men were with the Golden State Warriors’ organization.

Next: 4 Free Agents in Playoffs Hawks Should Target

After a tough season, the Hawks must start afresh and getting the right head coach in position is the first step back into relevance in the NBA. Stay tuned for more news regarding Atlanta’s search for a head coach.

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