You’ll never get everyone to agree on everything. But there seems to be a general consensus among the Atlanta Hawks stars that something needed to change, even if none of them foresaw that change being the dismissal of Nate McMillan who had guided them to a berth in the Eastern Conference Finals just two seasons ago.
If it seems like things are happening rapidly for the Hawks, they are.
Aside from McMillan’s firing, which comes upon the Hawks’ return to practice from the All-Star break, the Hawks changed their front office structure just two months ago.
“I think that is the key,” interim head coach Joe Prunty said via the atlhawksfans YouTube channel. “We have to move forward. For example, today we had a good practice. Guys were spirited, good energy although we definitely could tell we had a break in terms of conditioning and needing to get our legs underneath us. But, that having been said, it is about that: keep moving forward. We had a positive day today. Now, we have to do it again, be better tomorrow.”
Prunty has been with the Hawks for the past two seasons. He joined the staff following that run to the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2020-21 season, the same year McMillan assumed control following the ouster of Lloyd Pierce.
The 54-year-old lifetime assistant did guide the Milwaukee Bucks to a 37-16 record and the postseason following a 23-22 start under Jason Kidd, now with the Dallas Mavericks.
To this point, it is unclear whether or not he will be a serious candidate for the job.
“The only thing that I’ve spoken with Joe about right now is to focus on the task at hand,” general manager Landry Fields said. “I’m putting them in positions that are challenging. To do this right now, sort of so last minute, there’s enough on Joe’s plate to focus on this team, to make sure that, however long he’s sitting in that interim seat, he supported and does the best he can do. So that’s been my communication with him. Just focus on the task at hand and we’ll cover everything else later.”
Hawks GM Landry Fields Putting Joe Prunty in ‘Challenging’ Situation
Fields placed an emphasis on accountability and player development among other keys for the next person to fill the role on a permanent basis. But Prunty expressed his empathy for the person who just vacated it.
“It’s a tough day for all of us,” Prunty said. And this is the business. But there’s a personal side to it as well. Coach [McMillan] has won 760 games. Not a lot of people have done that – the type of person that he is. So, for us, we just have to be focused on: look, the business happened. We know what we need to do to be better. And that’s on everybody, including myself. And I understand I step into this role at this time as the head coach. But I’ve also been I’m a part of this. I’ve been here. So, I think the big thing is for everybody to understand what has taken place and what we need to do.”
Prunty’s answer is fine if not expected. But how did the players feel?
Guard Dejounte Murray Opens Up About Former HC Nate McMillan
“I mean, it’s a business, like I always stated to you guys you know from the beginning,” Dejounte Murray, who was added just this past offseason, told reporters. I’m a basketball player. I’m here to get better, learn, be a leader by example. And, as far as the business side, that’s up to the front office. They the one that trade players, sign players, waive players, fire coaches, hire coaches. That got nothing to do with me. The thing for me is to come in this league and like I said, work, learn, and be a great person but also build great relationships.”
Murray has assumed a vocal leadership role since arriving over the summer.
The deal that brought him to Atlanta was scrutinized by rival league figures and was even fought against by former team president Travis Schlenk, playing a part in the latter’s surprising exit in December.
“I do feel bad because it’s not just on Nate McMillan. I could look in the mirror and I could be a part of that. I’m somebody who hold myself accountable. I use the accountability word on the court, off the court. And like I said, it’s not just one guy to blame. So, I hope people that’s making all these reports…just know, it ain’t on Nate McMillan. It’s we all got to look in the mirror and take responsibility and part of this and we all got to be better.”
It has been a mixed bag for the experiment of putting two ball-dominant players on the court together – Murray has the highest usage of any full-time backcourt mate Trae Young has had in his career or even among the other three players in the starting lineup at 24.7% per Basketball-Reference.
John Collins is the next highest at 23.7% in 2019 – Young’s rookie season.
When Murray and Young share the court, the Hawks have a plus-4.4 net rating, ranking in the 79th percentile, per Cleaning The Glass. With Murray and without Young, that rating drops to minus-9.9 (ninth percentile). With Young and without Murray, minus-0.8 (44th percentile).
The issue has been finding a balance of parts to put around either when they are off the floor.
Atlanta has used 103 combinations featuring Young alone and 78 with just Murray. Only one of those lineups has even 100 possessions together. Still, the Hawks starting five has a plus-12.7 net rating (97th percentile) and at least some of that credit has to go to McMillan.
“I called Nate yesterday. We had a great conversation and that’s a relationship that will last forever.”
Murray — who came from one of the most stable organizations in the NBA — insisted that the message is the same since the beginning of the year and echoed Prunty’s sentiments about the day’s practice. He also declined an opportunity to expound upon where the reported disconnect that Fields saw was while echoing his previous remarks about his role on the team and organization.
He did say that he told McMillan to reach out if he notices anything in his game.
Clint Capela Gets Real About Nate McMillan’s Messaging
Where Murray refused to venture, Clint Capela ventured a tad bit deeper, expressing his view of where things went wrong for McMillan in the locker room.
“It was tough news,” Capela said. “I learned about it yesterday, obviously. Nate took the hit but I think that the whole team got to take the hit. We haven’t been good enough. We haven’t been as good as we thought we could be and it’s on all of us. So, obviously, now we know that we have to take a step consistency-wise. You just have to be better. Personally, I think yeah sometimes preparation got to be better. You just have to look more into ourselves about what we can be better as an individual and that’s our push here.”
Capela, 28, had his best season as a pro under McMillan in 2021 – his first year in Atlanta – leading the NBA in rebounding with a career-high 14.3 boards per game to go with 15.2 points, just 1.6 points off his career-best mark set in 2019 with the Houston Rockets.
Injuries have taken their toll on his production over the last season-plus including this year with the big man missing 16 games due to injury putting him on pace for 66 appearances. His three seasons with the Hawks gave him the chance to see both the ups and downs of his former head coach.
“You can tell by our record it wasn’t consistent enough. Maybe his voice, maybe us, maybe the way we’re all approaching the game. It was not consistent enough, this is not what we wanted.”
Capela again said that it was not just on McMillan and called for more consistency from his team.
He also hinted that they need to handle success better.
“Sometimes where we get one win, we get a little bit too excited from my experience,” Capela said. “I don’t get excited after one win or two. I get more excited when I see that my team is getting better from wins and the way we are winning.”
This is not the first time Capela has alluded to a less-than-serious approach to some games, expressing similar thoughts earlier in the season as the team got off to a slow start.
But Capela’s rendition of the state of the Hawks was less critical than some.
John Collins Suggests Nate McMillan’s Style Better-Suited for ‘Older’ Players
Seemingly on borrowed time in Atlanta after years of trade speculation – and even conversations – John Collins was brutally honest in his assessment of the situation.
“Definitely not happy to see Nate go,” Collins told the gaggle of reporters. “He’s a great coach. The relationship we had and just the things that I was able to learn from him and, obviously, his resume as a coach and a player speaks volumes.”
Collins is the longest-tenured player, drafted 19th overall in 2019. He was reportedly on his way out of town but Schlenk nixed the deal, though Fields also made it clear that he would not be giving Collins away just to move his hefty contract that still has $78.5 million left on his contract after this season.
He is also one of the more outspoken members of the team when it comes to acknowledging their shortcomings.
He did so again on Wednesday.
“Coach Mac is more so, I’d say, suited for guys who are in a different part of their careers,” Collins said. “And just us being as young as we are, I feel like we need to focus on just a couple different things…What Nate was asking from us as a group and where we are mentally, professionally just in terms of years, experience – just kind of creates a divide in expectations versus where we are and where we have developed to as young players.”
McMillan was notoriously slow to adjust often opting to let the players figure it out on the floor. It is a strategy that has worked and failed but is not really a strategy, especially when the team has shown signs they are not able to do that – or whatever Collins was referring to – just yet.
Collins said the Hawks “need a different kind of guidance” and hopes that whoever the front office hires will be more development-focused.
He reiterated that they respect McMillan but noted a different roster has different needs.
There was a point when Collins addressed how the team needs to grow. He noted that their chemistry was lacking in addition to their individual skills but their biggest shortcoming might be in their ability to hold each other – and be held – accountable.
“I feel like that’s where you start, is putting people accountable to, not only their job but their expectations as men on this team. You know what I mean? It’s the NBA. We’re not in college anymore. We’re not in high school. We’re expected to come in here and be men, try to win basketball games.”
Collins emphasized that it was a “delicate” situation and that the Hawks could “do a better job” in that department.
But he was clear that it was something they can fix while, rightfully, declining to point fingers.