The Atlanta Hawks hit the halfway point in their 2022-23 campaign last night against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Hawks got off to a slow start against the Bucks, eventually went down twenty-four points, battled back to take a lead with a little over three minutes left in the game, held the lead for twenty-two seconds, and then the Bucks went on a 10-0 run to put the game away.
This scenario for the Atlanta Hawks seems all too familiar as it isn’t the first time it’s happened this season, and it probably won’t be the last either. Now, Atlanta Hawks fans are beyond frustrated, and it seems like a change needs to be made. In professional sports anytime there is a change that needs to be made it usually always starts with the head coach, and this situation with the Hawks seems no different.
A report from Shams Charania came out a few weeks ago that Nate McMillan has strongly considered resigning from the Atlanta Hawks Head Coach position. McMillan addressed the report and said he was indeed considering retiring, but said no decision would be made until after the season. With the way the season has gone Nate may not make it to the end of the season to make that decision, but the question is if Nate McMillan is fired or retires at the end of the season should the Atlanta Hawks pursue Ime Udoka and try to make the suspended Boston Celtics coach there next head man?
It’s no secret now that Ime Udoka was having a consensual sexual relationship with a female member of the Boston Celtics organization, and as a result of that Udoka was suspended for the entire 2022-23 season by the Celtics. Now, back in November the Nets seemed like they were all into the idea of hiring Udoka, and the Celtics had no problem with that. Now we all know that obviously didn’t happen due to multiple “factors”, and the Nets hired Jacque Vaughn instead.
The point is that the Celtics don’t seem that interested in keeping Udoka, and the Hawks may need a head coach during or at the end of the season, and after seeing Ime Udoka lead the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals last season Udoka may be highly sought after if available in the offseason. All the Atlanta Hawks’ problems aren’t because of Nate McMillan, but he might be the casualty to what has been a very disappointing Hawks season thus far, or McMillan might throw his hands in the air and call it quits at the end of the season.
If the Atlanta Hawks are in the need of a head coach at any point during or after the season Ime Udoka should be the priority for the Atlanta Hawks and maybe just maybe he can lead the Hawks to the promise land.