The Hawks have narrowed their head coaching search down to four candidates, according to a person with knowledge of the team’s plans. They are Sixers assistant Lloyd Pierce, Blazers assistant Nate Tibbetts, Hornets assistant Stephen Silas and Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga.
Tibbetts already has met with Hawks principal owner Tony Ressler and Pierce could do so soon. Silas and Larranaga also remain in the running for the job, according to the person with knowledge of the team’s search.
ESPN reported that Ressler is set to interview Pierce early this week and that a strong meeting "will likely catapult him into a job offer." A person with knowledge of the Hawks' plans said Pierce is a strong candidate but added that a meeting with Ressler has yet to be officially set up and that it's premature to elevate his candidacy above the other three coaches.
Pierce was a Warriors assistant during the 2010-11 season, when Hawks GM Travis Schlenk was a front-office executive with the team. Silas was a Golden State assistant from 2006-10, when Schlenk was a Warriors video scout and assistant coach.
Schlenk interviewed seven initial candidates for the job left vacant when the team and Mike Budenholzer parted ways after five seasons. One of those candidates, David Fizdale, met with Ressler before eventually being hired by the Knicks. The other candidates to meet with Schlenk are Hawks assistant Darvin Ham and Warriors assistant Jarron Collins.
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