The Atlanta Falcons fired head coach Raheem Morris yesterday after a disappointing season, but he might not be the only coach in Atlanta who gets the boot this season.
Quinn Snyder has quietly filled Morris‘s spot as the coach on the hot seat in the 404 after the Atlanta Hawks floundered in a fashion not unlike the Falcons. The Hawks were widely projected to finish fourth in the Eastern Conference, with a clear gap between Atlanta and the teams below. Nearly halfway through the season, however, the Hawks sit at an embarrassing 10th place in the East and are 2-8 in their last 10 games.
Snyder isnt entirely to blame for the Hawks’ early-season woes. Kristaps Porzingis's extended absence in December left Snyder with only one center on the roster for the majority of the season. Still, he has been under fire for a series of questionable decisions, particularly regarding the rotation. Most Hawks fans would agree that Snyder is not maximizing the talent of this team, regardless of Atlanta’s injury struggles.
Snyder must solve his rotations ASAP to avoid Morris’s fate
Fans have heavily criticized Snyder for his forward rotation. In particular, two players inexplicably play less than they should: Zaccharie Risacher and Mouhamed Gueye.
Risacher was the first overall pick last year, yet he’s been limited to just 24 minutes a game this season. While the franchise understands that Risacher is not your typical number one pick, he still has flashed high-level potential and could be incredibly valuable to the team.
He’s had a disappointing season this year, but how much of that could be attributed to the lack of confidence that comes from a queer lack of trust from your coach? Risacher shot the lights out last season and was known as a hot shooter during his pre-draft career, but he has struggled mightily this year. Even if his deep shot is streaky, he brings length and help defense to a team that sorely lacks in those two areas.
Risacher made his feelings known to Snyder in a bench altercation during a January 2nd victory over the Knicks. While the Frenchman is a level-headed person by all accounts, his frustration boiled over as he ripped into Snyder, who ignored him. Risacher then continued pleading with other staff members before throwing his towel. While this relationship should heal quickly, given the easygoing nature of both people involved, it is clear that Risacher is not on board with Snyder's unexplained minutes restriction.
Similarly, Gueye has a skill set that would help the Hawks, but he has nearly fallen out of the rotation entirely. The decision to keep the Senegalese forward on the bench is baffling to say the least.
With Porzingis out, Gueye was the only player on the roster who flashed any semblance of being a capable center. He is 6'11, moves in a truly perplexingly fluid way à la Amen Thompson, and is clearly Atlanta's best defender after Dyson Daniels. Yet Gueye averages a mere 15.5 minutes per game, which rises to 17.1 when Porzingis misses time.
While Snyder has been a fine coach up to this season, his mismanagement of the first competitive Atlanta team in five years could be grounds for termination.