Nate McMillan Responds To Resignation Rumors

It was another controversial day in the ATL on Friday, with a report from Shams Charania that head coach Nate McMillan was "strongly considering" stepping down, and then an even stronger denial from the Hawks CEO, calling the report rubbish. 

Coach McMillan addressed the story himself, and didn't quite put it all to rest with his comments. 

Nate McMillan responds to Shams Charania article. Says he will consider retiring after the season. pic.twitter.com/riSJPs11VP

— Pat Benson (@Pat_Benson_Jr) December 30, 2022

"Look, at the end of the year, I'll do as I've always done, at the end of the season I talk with my family and see if I still have that flame, that fire to continue next season. That's the end of the season. All of us think about retiring, but that's at the end of the season. So we'll move on past that."

Seeing as Charania's story implied that McMillan's job is safe for now, and he isn't "imminently" stepping away, the coach certainly didn't say anything to refute the report. 

McMillan took hold of the Hawks' head coaching position when the team fired former head coach Lloyd Pierce in the middle of the 2020-21 season. He went on to lead the team to a surprise appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the eventual NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks. 

Last season, he led the Hawks on a late-season push to get them into the Play-In tournament, and ultimately won two games to get into the first-round of the playoffs, before bowing to the Miami Heat.

McMillan has been a head coach in the NBA going all the way back to the 2000 season. 

Photo: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports