Report: Hawks, Snyder close to deal worth around $8M annually

The Atlanta Hawks are close to making Quin Snyder the team's next head coach, sources told The Athletic's Shams Charania.

Snyder's new deal would reportedly pay him approximately $8 million per season over the length of the contract.

Atlanta immediately launched a search for a new bench boss after firing Nate McMillan on Tuesday. Snyder, who spent eight seasons with the Utah Jazz before unexpectedly stepping down last summer, was reportedly identified early as one of the Hawks' top potential candidates.

The 56-year-old went 372-264 in 636 regular-season games with Utah, transforming a rebuilding team into a perennial playoff contender with stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. He had not taken up another job within the NBA since leaving the Jazz.

With an $8-million salary, Snyder could become one of the league's highest-paid coaches. An analysis by Sportico in November 2021 found that longtime San Antonio Spurs boss Gregg Popovich leads all NBA coaches with an estimated $11.5-million salary, followed by Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr ($9.5 million) and the Philadelphia 76ers' Doc Rivers ($8.5 million).

Mike Budenholzer and Nick Nurse of the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors, respectively, earn an average of $8 million yearly, as was former Brooklyn Nets coach Steve Nash.

The Hawks are 29-30 and on course for a play-in appearance this season. They're currently 3.5 games behind the New York Knicks for 6th place in the East but just three games above the Chicago Bulls in 11th, who are entirely outside the postseason picture as things stand.