Hawks Rumors: Quin Snyder Head Coach Contract Could Be Finalized Sunday

The Atlanta Hawks are making progress on an agreement to make Quin Snyder their next head coach.

A deal between the Hawks and Snyder "could be finalized" as soon as Sunday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Saturday on NBA Countdown.

Nate McMillan, who led the Hawks to a 29-30 record this season, was fired as the franchise's head coach on Tuesday after two-and-a-half seasons at the helm.

While the likes of Milwaukee Bucks assistant Charles Lee and Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson were considered candidates for Atlanta's vacancy, Snyder has been the "full focus" of the franchise's head coaching search, Wojnarowski reported Friday:

"Snyder has been engaged with general manager Landry Fields, assistant GM Kyle Korver and owner Tony Ressler on a wide range of philosophical and team-building items in recent days and those conversations are expected to continue through the start of the weekend, sources said."

Snyder hasn't coached in the NBA since resigning as head coach of the Utah Jazz following the 2021-22 campaign. In his eight seasons as the franchise's head coach from 2014 to 2022, he went 372-264 with six playoff appearances, though the Jazz never made it past the Western Conference semifinals.

Before joining the Jazz, Snyder served as an assistant for the Hawks under Mike Budenholzer during the 2013-14 campaign, so it's no surprise Atlanta is interested in a reunion.

Additionally, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated reported in June that the 56-year-old has been "eager to coach" since stepping down as head coach of the Jazz. His interest in returning to the NBA should only help a Hawks team that has struggled to live up to expectations this year.

Following the addition of Dejounte Murray during the offseason, the Hawks were expected to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference this year. To this point, though, they've underperformed and sit eighth in the East with a 30-30 record.

The addition of Snyder, who had been one of the most respected coaches in the NBA, could be just want Atlanta needs to right the ship.