NBA Rumors: Atlanta Hawks could hire Ime Udoka as next head coach

NBA Rumors: Atlanta Hawks could look to Ime Udoka as they look for their head coaching replacement. 

In retrospect, this has largely been a year of transition for the Atlanta Hawks. They’ve shuffled through changes in their front office, added Dejounte Murray during last offseason, and then decided to move on from Nate McMillan as the team’s head coach.

From where this franchise was at this time last season, the Hawks are in a much different place and are a much different team. Even though many didn’t expect it, it’s probably something we should’ve seen coming. Nevertheless, the Hawks will enter the offseason with many big decisions to make. And finding the team’s next head coach remains atop many of those big decisions.

Atlanta needs to find the next coach that is going to lead this franchise into its next era of basketball. It won’t be simple and you’d have to imagine that this process is going to be an extensive one. The Hawks have already been linked to interest in former Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder, but there are likely other names that will arise as they get deeper into their coaching search.

According to a recent report, former Boston Celtics Ime Udoka is another name to keep an eye out for as the Hawks begin their coaching search.

The Atlanta Hawks need to be thorough in their head coaching search

Both Udoka and Snyder would be safe choices as both have had success during their stints as head coaches, though the former seems to be a lot more complicated than the latter. But whoever ends up being the next Hawks coach will have to be able to balance out this team’s roster.

And it all starts with the dynamic that is Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. Any head coach that is hired will have to have a strong plan for the team’s two stars. The hope is that this duo is one that will work and it would be a shame if Atlanta had to trade one of them after such a short experiment.

Secondarily, the next head coach has to be able to bring in a clear identity for this team. For the past few years, despite some success that the team has had, they’ve lacked an identity. Something that they could hang their hat on night-in and night-out.

The Hawks must be thorough in their coaching search. One bad hire could end up setting this franchise back another half-decade.