Hawks CEO Contests Report of Nate McMillan Considering Resigning

Steve Koonin bashed the reporting of The Athletic’s Shams Charania on Friday.

Atlanta Hawks CEO Steve Koonin strongly refuted a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic that indicated that coach Nate McMillan “has strongly considered resigning from his position.”

Koonin told the “Dukes and Bell” radio show on 92.9 “The Game” in Atlanta that Charania’s story was “trash journalism.”

“This is made up stuff. I’m literally calling Shams out. It is just hack journalism. Hack,” Koonin said.

Per Charania’s report, tension with superstar Trae Young, which first emerged publicly after a heated exchange at a gameday shootaround in early December, is one of the key factors reportedly contributing to McMillan’s thinking of potentially resigning.

Charania also reported that while McMillan’s job is considered to be safe with the Hawks, the two parties appear to be nearing the end of their relationship with one another at season’s end. However, conversations between McMillan and new lead executive Landry Fields have reportedly been nothing but positive regarding the coach and his future. But with the Hawks currently sitting at 17–18 and in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, the situation appears that it may be coming to a head sooner rather than later, per Charania.

Despite the consideration reportedly given to resigning by McMillan, there is no indication that a resignation from his coaching position is imminent.