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Hawks reach agreement to hire Pierce as head coach on reported 4-year deal

Mitchell Leff / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The Atlanta Hawks have reached an agreement to hire Lloyd Pierce as their head coach, the team announced Friday.

They will sign the Philadelphia 76ers assistant to a four-year deal with a team option on the final season, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Pierce, 42, will become Atlanta's 13th head coach, replacing Mike Budenholzer, who mutually agreed to part ways with the team in April after five years. The rebuilding Hawks finished with a 24-58 record in 2017-18, tied with the Dallas Mavericks for the third-best odds of landing the top pick in June's draft.

"As we set out to find a new head coach for our team, it was critically important to find a dynamic teacher who could connect with and develop our young core while instilling the culture and high standards we feel are necessary in a successful program," general manager Travis Schlenk said in a statement. "Lloyd Pierce checks every box, and we couldn't be more excited to have him leading the Atlanta Hawks into the future."

Pierce has worked on NBA coaching staffs for the past 11 years, spending the past five in Philadelphia and previously working for the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, and Cleveland Cavaliers.

"This is a day I've been working toward for a long time and it's an honor to be the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks," Pierce said. "I have great respect for Travis and strong belief in his plan to bring a championship to the city of Atlanta. After spending time with ownership, it's clear they have a deep investment in and commitment to making this a model organization. This opportunity is a perfect fit for me, and I'm eager to get started."

Pierce, who played at Santa Clara University alongside Steve Nash, got a ringing endorsement in 2014 from the best player in the game.

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