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Names are flying around in conjunction with the Atlanta Hawks head coaching vacancy and two more emerged late Wednesday evening. With Mike Budenholzer and the organization mutually parting ways, candidates like Ime Udoka and Stephen Silas came to light but, shortly thereafter, the first established NBA head coach was named by Sam Amick of USA Today.
Hawks expected to talk to David Fizdale and Nate Tibbetts, among others, I'm told. When Hawks GM Travis Schlenk was asst GM with Golden State, Tibbetts interviewed to be Steve Kerr's top assistant before Mike Brown was hired.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) April 26, 2018
David Fizdale, who was fired by the Memphis Grizzlies during he 2017-2018 season, is a highly respected name in NBA circles and he was famously lauded for his work as an assistant with the Miami Heat. Prior to that post and his head coaching job in Memphis, Fizdale was an assistant for the Hawks from 2004 through 2008.
Elsewhere, Zach Klein of WSB-TV in Atlanta reports that current Hawks assistant Darvin Ham could also be a name to monitor during the search.
Per NBA league source: Names to keep an eye on for next Hawks head coach.. current assistant Darvin Ham.. plus Portland assistants Nate Tinnetts and David Vanterpool
— Zach Klein (@ZachKleinWSB) April 26, 2018
Ham was with the Hawks briefly during his playing career before joining Budenholzer’s staff. After Kenny Atkinson was hired as the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets, Ham was promoted to lead assistant and he would likely be the strongest internal candidate for the vacancy.
Stay tuned as more candidates emerge in what should be an interesting and important head coaching search.