Update: Nate McMillian will take over for Atlanta on an interim basis, per Woj. McMillian, who was close with Pierce, initially showed some reluctance to replace his friend. Pierce was supportive of McMillian replacing him, which eased the veteran coach’s concerns.
The Atlanta Hawks have dismissed Lloyd Pierce as their coach, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com reports.
“We would like to thank Lloyd for his work and commitment to not only the Hawks organization but the city of Atlanta,” the team wrote in a statement. “…We have high expectations for our team on the court and we believe making a change now that we can have a strong second half of the season.”
Pierce, who joined the team prior to the 2018-19 season, was expected to help the Hawks take a major step forward this season. That hasn’t happened in Atlanta, as the club is just 14-20 on the year.
Prior to arriving in Georgia, Pierce was an assistant on the Sixers staff. He also has experience with the Grizzlies, serving as a player development coach back in the 2011-12 season.
In just under three seasons with the Hawks, Pierce compiled a 63-120 record.
