NEW YORK — Former Hawks coach Nate McMillan recently has been spending time with the Suns staff.
McMillan has been seen around the Suns’ practice facility, reuniting with Monty Williams. McMillan described his time there as “visiting a friend.” The two coached the Trail Blazers together from 2005-10, when McMillan was the head coach.
Now, McMillan will lend his support to Williams as the Suns look to make a return to the NBA Finals after a Western Conference semifinals exit last year.
“It’s like a, I wouldn’t say ‘a dream come true,’ but it’s been like, to have your big brother come to spend a few days with your team and be able to talk through things, spend time with them,” Williams told media at a practice availability. “He came into the locker room last night during our meeting, and I wasn’t in there yet, but the players were just so excited to see him because everybody respects the basketball man that he is but also the person that he is.
“And for him to be here with Jarrett (Jack) and I, it’s 2005 we were all in Portland together. Jarrett was a rookie, I was a doofus on the bench with (McMillan), and we were just starting out, and Nate showed us both what it’s like to be an assistant coach, to be a pro in this league. I’ve always felt like he’s, and I’m biased, but I’ve always felt like he’s one of the most underrated coaches in our game. But he’s also one of the best people I’ve ever been around. So, for me, it’s just been a treat to have him and everybody here has just been soaking it in. He’s been in our meetings and been on the floor and guys just love him because I think everybody respects who Nate is as a basketball man.”
This isn’t the first time McMillan has stepped in as a supporting member of a coaching staff. He joined the Hawks at the beginning of the 2020-21 season under the leadership of coach Lloyd Pierce.
The team promoted McMillan to head coach shortly after, and he led the Hawks to the play-in tournament last season before the Heat eliminated them in the first round. This season, he led the Hawks to a 29-30 record before the team parted ways with him in February.
McMillan then led the Hawks to the Eastern Conference finals, where they lost to the Bucks in six games.
The Suns currently rank fourth in the Western Conference and have a half-game advantage over the Clippers.
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