Do the Atlanta Hawks know where they want to go from here?

The Atlanta Hawks’ dismissal of head coach Lloyd Pierce didn’t come as much of a shock when it was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

After a flurry of offseason signings, the organization made clear its intention of returning to the postseason for the first time since 2017. In a lowly conference where the current fourth seed wouldn’t even qualify out west,  a 14-20 record that pegged them 11th all but doomed the third-year head coach.

Atlanta now presses forward with Nate McMillan to serve in an interim capacity. Perhaps he’s able to secure the full-time spot if he manages to finish off the season well. Maybe the Hawks opt for an outside alternative.

But no matter the new face calling the shots from the sidelines, he’ll find a hard time getting his feet firm on the ground when the circumstances of the Hawks are pulling him in completely different directions.

The Atlanta Hawks have made a coaching change, but that hardly helps them figure out the best way to move forward in the aftermath.

To look at the core of Atlanta’s roster is to see a team with some of the brightest young talent in the NBA.

De’Andre Hunter evolved in his sophomore season to function as more of a scoring threat with 17.2 points per game on 51.4 percent shooting. John Collins can put up 20 and 10 in his sleep. Kevin Huerter is a reliable outside shooter and secondary playmaker. Cam Reddish and Onyeke Okongwu are two of the Hawks’ most recent top-10 picks.

And at the center of it all is Trae Young, a point guard who, despite the divisiveness some of his play creates, was named an All-Star in his second season and has so far averaged 26.5 points and 9.5 assists per game in his third.

History tells us what the journey for a team like this is supposed to look like. One of the youngest teams in the league was supposed to take time to figure out where they fit on an NBA court and how they can thrive off each other. There would be losing but also growing. More importantly, growth as a collective unit that sets a foundation for success.

But Atlanta didn’t see it that way. Ownership and the front office sought a return to the playoffs immediately. Maybe it was the standard they’d grown accustomed to after a decade-long streak of postseason appearances. Maybe they were feeling some of the pressure put forth by Young’s desire to start winning barely into his NBA career.

Whatever the reason behind the decision to make them, all those free-agent signings accelerated the Hawks’ timeline. Danilo Gallinari, Rajon Rondo, Kris Dunn, and Bogdan Bogdanovic — not to mention the deadline acquisition of Clint Capela last season — were brought aboard to help the Hawks today. The only problem is that the stars of tomorrow weren’t as ready. How could anyone expect them to be?

Very few teams can compete at a high level while simultaneously building towards the future. Most franchises have to pick one direction and embrace all it brings.

The Hawks want to have it both ways, winning now while building something sustainable for at least the next half-decade. Trying to toe that line can have its consequences, which is why many signs point to John Collins playing elsewhere as early as the trade deadline in pursuit of an organization ready to embrace the star power he has waiting to be unlocked.

Collins’ displeasure could’ve been stomached if the reason behind it was actually serving its purpose, but none of the free-agent signings have paid many dividends. Dunn and Bogdanovic have been injured. Rondo and Gallinari have also been sidelined for extended periods of time and mostly ineffective when they touch the court.

Compared to the state of other franchises, the Hawks working with some pretty good problems. Whoever is the next head coach to inherit them must simply know which ones to focus on.