Pacers Non-Committal to Nate Bjorkgren, While Hawks' Nate McMillan is Thriving

Nate McMillan has thrived with the Atlanta Hawks after getting fired by the Indiana Pacers last season.

Earlier in the season, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Nate Bjorkgren could be on the way out in Indiana for the Pacers.

Woj's Tweet is embedded below, and his article on ESPN is hyperlinked above.

Amid a year of difficulties with players and staff, Indiana Pacers coach Nate Bjorkgren’s future with the franchise is uncertain as the regular season nears an end, sources tell ESPN. The Pacers are 30-34 and in ninth place in the Eastern Conference.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 5, 2021

During Pacers Head of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard's end-of-season press conference, he also did not commit to Bjorkgren (see Tony East of Forbes Tweet below).

"I'm not committing either way," Pritchard said of Nate Bjorkgren bring back next season.

— Tony East (@TonyREast) May 24, 2021

Meanwhile, their head coach from last season (and the previous four years), Nate McMillan, is thriving in Atlanta. The Hawks have won five out of their first six playoff games,

After taking over for Lloyd Pierce in the regular season, McMillan went 26-12 (via ESPN), and now has a shiny 5-1 record in the NBA Playoffs.

Back on May 12, StatMuse posted about the change with the Hawks since McMillan took over (Tweet below).

The Hawks were 14-20 when Nate McMillan took over.

They are 25-11 since and have now clinched a playoff spot. pic.twitter.com/Y6axZwb2Oj

— StatMuse (@statmuse) May 13, 2021

Related stories on NBA basketball

• PACERS WON'T COMMIT TO BJORKGREN: The Indiana Pacers finished their season in a loss to the Washington Wizards in D.C. After completing the year as the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference and having many injuries that they could not control, they failed to meet a lot of expectations. Pacers' President of Basketball Operations, Kevin Pritchard, did not commit to keeping Bjorkgren for next season in his end-of-season press conference. CLICK HERE.
• PACERS TAKE LUKA GARZA IN MOCK DRAFT: The NBA Draft is creeping up as it will occur right after the NBA Finals end. Draft night will take place on July 29. In a recent Mock Draft, the Indiana Pacers select Wooden Award winner Luka Garza out of Iowa in the second round. CLICK HERE.
• PACERS TAKE JAMES BOUKNIGHT IN BLEACHER REPORT MOCK DRAFT: In Bleacher Report's NBA Mock Draft, The Indiana Pacers select shooting guard from UConn, James Bouknight, who had a stellar sophomore season in Storrs, Connecticut, averaging 18.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. CLICK HERE.