Trae Young and fired Atlanta Hawks head coach Nate McMillan remain in contact as speculation persists the young point guard pushed the franchise to make a second coaching change in Young’s five seasons.
Young did not speak with media on Wednesday and was away from the team for personal reasons on Thursday. The two-time All-Star and team leading scorer said he wants no input on locating McMillan’s replacement. He will, however, continue to seek McMillan’s counsel no matter who becomes his third NBA head coach since entering the league.
“There’s a lot of moments that people really don’t understand that me and him have had and that’s OK,” Young said Friday morning. “It will get brought up eventually. I know I don’t tell everybody everything. I kind of let y’all make up rumors about certain things about how I am and how my relationship is with certain people. I just play basketball.
“Nothing but love for Nate McMillan.”
Young said his focus isn’t on the coaching search. He’s keeping his eyes on chasing a championship.
The Hawks reportedly had conversations with Quin Snyder, former Utah Jazz head coach, and ousted Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka.
“That’s not up to me,” Young said, adding that he trusts the front office and general manager Landry Fields to make the right moves.
For now, interim coach Joe Prunty is at the controls, starting Friday when the Hawks open the post-All-Star portion of the schedule against the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers.
“I’m not looking at the next coach who comes in here. I’m trying to win a championship, whatever it is, I’m just trying to win,” Young said.
–Field Level Media