Basketball On The Internet.

WHEN large numbers of your home crowd stick around to chant "sack the coach" and your team is eliminated by an under-strength but hardy foe in the playoffs first round, saying you're already planning for next year was a stretch for cut Kings coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah, waived the same day as Aussie icon Patty Mills.

The Atlanta Hawks converted the contract of guard Trent Forrest, 25, from a two-way deal to a standard pact, Patty now out of an NBA gig for the first time since 2009.

He was averaging 2.7 points, 1.1 rebounds and 10.6 minutes in 19 games off the Hawks' bench this season, shooting 37.3 percent from the floor and 38.2 from 3-point range.

The Hawks acquired Mills, 35, from the Oklahoma City Thunder after last season, OKC taking him from Houston Rockets where he was traded by Brooklyn after two years with the Nets. 

Mills has logged 879 career games with the Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs - where he won the NBA championship in 2014 - Brooklyn Nets and Hawks over his career, averaging 8.9 points and 2.2 assists.

It is not only a massive blow for him personally but also for the Australian Boomers program and hopes of a medal at the Paris Olympic Games this year.

His immediate future is unclear, unlike that of Sydney Kings coach Abdelfattah.

When his indifferent, disinterested team gave up in Wednesday night's 5v6 elimination play-in playoff game, meekly losing 76-83, it was evident the second-year of his two-year appointment would be torn up by the Kings.

While Abdelfattah was saying he was preparing for next season, he must have been referring to how he would spend his holiday payout.

The Kings are known to be interested in resurrecting the program with either their most successful coach Brian Goorjian, second-most successful Chase Buford or five-time Perth Wildcats championship mentor and current NBA assistant Trevor Gleeson.

All, apparently, are or will be available.