Hawks HC Rumors: Atlanta Permitted to Meet with Trail Blazers' Nate Tibbetts

As the Atlanta Hawks look for their next head coach, they have reportedly been granted permission to meet with Portland Trail Blazers assistant coach Nate Tibbetts.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the news Thursday night, noting Tibbetts is a serious candidate.

Tibbetts has spent the last seven years as an assistant coach in the NBA, two with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the past five with Portland.

Prior to 2017-18, Atlanta had made 10 consecutive trips to the postseason. However, the team went 24-58 this season, its worst record since 2004-05.

Atlanta and Mike Budenholzer mutually agreed to part ways Wednesday. Budenholzer went 213-197 in five seasons with the Hawks, winning NBA Coach of the Year in 2015. He reportedly interviewed for the Phoenix Suns job and was scheduled to meet with the New York Knicks about their vacancy.

Now, it appears Tibbetts may be high on Atlanta's list of candidates.

Although he may not have head-coaching experience in the NBA, Tibbetts was a head coach in the D-League not too long ago. He spent four seasons with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, with the final two years as head coach. He also led the Tulsa 66ers to their first trip to the playoffs, which resulted in a D-League Finals appearance, in his first season and helped them get back to the postseason the following season. 

His head-coaching experience also extends beyond the D-League (now the G League). Tibbetts led Team USA to a bronze medal at the 2011 Pan American Games.

This is not the first time Tibbetts has been in the running for a head-coaching gig in the NBA. In past years, both the Charlotte Bobcats and the Memphis Grizzlies have been granted permission to interview the Blazers assistant.