He won nearly 60 percent of his games with
the boys from Salt Lake City, UT. He was a finalist for Kia Coach of the Year
the previous season. He guided boys from Salt Lake to six straight playoff
appearances in his eight seasons. But after failing to reach the Western
Conference Finals after having the best record in the NBA in 2020-21 and
falling in the opening-round to the boys from “Big D” a couple of months back,
the sideline leader of the boys from Salt Lake decided this was the time to
exit.
On Sunday, Utah Jazz head coach Quin
Snyder announced his resignation ending his eight-year run as the leader on the
sidelines for the Jazz, where he compiled a 372-264 mark in his eight seasons with
the Jazz, including a 294-178 mark the past six seasons, which saw the Jazz
make the playoffs. But they never advancing passed the Western Conference
Semifinals in his tenure.
“It was time. Time for the Jazz to move
forward. Time for me to move forward. It just made the most sense to me,” Coach
Snyder said in a statement released by the Jazz.
“At the core, and what drives me every day
is our players and their passion for the game, their desire to constantly work
to improve and their dedication to the team and the Jazz.”
“I strongly feel they need a new voice to
continue to evolve. That’s it. No philosophical differences, no other reason.
After eight years, I just feel it is time to move onward. I needed to take time
to detach after the season and make sure this was the right decision.”
Coach Snyder’s .585 winning percentage
ranked 18th amongst NBA head coaches that worked for at least the
eight seasons he was with the Jazz. His .623 winning percentage for six
straight seasons the Jazz made the Playoffs was the third-best winning
percentage in “The Association” and the best in the rugged Western Conference.
Prior to being the head coach of the Jazz,
Snyder was a longtime assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers (1992-93);
the Philadelphia 76ers (2010-11); the Los Angeles Lakers (2011-12); and Atlanta
Hawks (2013-14).
Snyder was also the head coach at the
collegiate level first as an assistant on now Hall of Famer and now former head
coach Mike Krzyzewski’s staff with the Duke Blue Devils (1995-99) and was the
head coach for the Missouri University Tigers (1999-2006). Snyder was the head
coach of the NBA’s G League affiliate the Austin Toros (2007-10) and coached
overseas as an assistant for the CSKA Moscow in a Russian pro basketball team
of the VTB United League in Moscow, Russia.
Snyder was a four-time Coach of the month
winner in his time with the Jazz, with the most recent of those honors coming
back in February. He finished runner-up in Kia Coach of the Year voting.
Snyder along with the late great Hall of
Fame head coach Jerry Sloan, who compiled a 1,127-682 mark in 23 seasons
(1988-2011) are the only two coaches in the history of the Jazz to have a winning record
in their time as the team’s leader on the sidelines.
Coach Sloan unlike Snyder was able to
guide the Jazz, with the help of the Hall of Fame duo of John Stockton and Karl
Malone to the Western Conference Finals in 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, and 1998,
with appearance in the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998, where they lost to Hall of
Famers Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and head coach Phil Jackson and the
Chicago Bulls in six games both times.
Snyder was tied with Golden State Warriors
head coach Steve Kerr for the third longest tenure with their respective team,
trailing only the 13 seasons by Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra and the 26
seasons by San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.
Unlike Snyder, Kerr, Spoelstra, and
Popovich have championships to their credit in recent seasons.
While Snyder went 372-264 in the regular
season with the Jazz, they only compiled a 21-30 mark in the postseason under
his watch, dropping five out of their last six playoff series.
In 2020-21, the Jazz finished 52-20,
compiling the best record in not just the stacked Western Conference, but had
the best record in the NBA and won the Northwest Division for the second of
three seasons under Snyder, and clinched home court advantage throughout the
2021 Playoffs. Their .722 winning percentage in 2020-21 was their highest in
team history, and Coach Snyder coached Team LeBron at the 2021 All-Star Game.
But they flamed out in the West Semis
losing the last four games of 2021 West Semis to the eventual Western Conference runner-up in the
Clippers to fall in six games after leading the series 2-0.
The Jazz The Last Four Seasons
Season Record Playoff Result
2018-19 50-32 Lost 1st Round
2019-20 44-28 Lost West Semis
2020-21 52-20 Lost 1st Round
2021-22 49-33 Lost 1st Round
This past season, the Jazz simply put when
the calendar turned to 2022 collapsed. After a 7-1 start and compiling a 26-9
mark in 2021, three separate losing streaks of at least four games and fell to
No. 5 in the West behind a 25-28 record after Jan. 1.
In the 2022 Playoffs, the Jazz were taken
down by this season’s eventual runner-up in the West in the Dallas Mavericks
4-2, where their headliner Luka Doncic missed the first three games of the
series with a calf strain but returned to help finish off the Jazz as they took
two of the final three games of the series.
It continued a troublesome trend by the
Jazz who lost in the Firstn Round of the Playoffs for the third time in the six
consecutive seasons they reached the postseason under Coach Snyder. That also
includes falling in the West Semis the other three times.
The Jazz were prepared to enter the
2022-23 season with Coach Snyder at the helm. In fact, the two sides were
recently in talks about extending Snyder, who had two years remaining on his
current contract. No deal was agreed upon before the sudden resignation by
Snyder.
“We have spent the last few weeks talking,
Quin and I, a lot about a lot of different things. And I think it’s pretty
clear, we desperately wanted him to stay,” Jazz CEO Danny Ainge said during a
team presser last week, the day after Snyder announced he was resigning. “And
at the same time, I’ve walked away from coaching, and I walked away from being a general manager after 18
years in Boston, and so I trust that Quin knows more what’s best for him and
his family, much more than we do.”
Ainge and Jazz Governor Ryan Smith will
now take on finding just the fourth head coach in the last three-plus decades.
In 34 seasons to be exact. When Sloan resigned back in the 2010-11 season with
one of his former players Tyrone Corbin took his place followed by Snyder.
To put into perspective the kind of
stability the Jazz have had in terms of their sideline leadership, they have
had just half a dozen coaches (six) since they moved from New Orleans, LA to
Salt Lake City, UT in 1979 in Tom Nissalke (1979-81 going 60-124); Frank Layden
(1981-88 going 277-294; 18-23 in Playoffs); the aforementioned Sloan (1988-2011
going 1,127-682; 96-100 in Playoffs); Corbin (2011-14 going 112-146; 0-4 in
Playoffs); and Snyder.
“Quin Snyder has embodied what Jazz
basketball is for the last eight years,” Jazz owner Ryan Smith said. “The
tireless work ethic and attention to detail Quin displayed each day is a
testament to the professional he is. I have nothing but admiration for Quin and
respect for his decision. On behalf of Ashley [Ryan’s wife] and I along with
our ownership group and our entire organization, we thank Quin and Amy [Quin’s
wife] from the bottom of our hearts for all of their contributions to the state
of Utah and the Jazz and wish them nothing but the best.”
Ainge in his time as the leader in the
front office of the 17-time NBA champion Boston Celtics hired now Philadelphia
76ers head coach Doc Rivers and now Celtics’ GM Brad Stevens to be the team’s
leader on the sidelines. Rivers along with future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett,
Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce led the Celtics to their 17th title over
their archrivals the Los Angeles Lakers in 2008 in six games and returned to
The Finals two years later, falling to those same Lakers in seven games.
Stevens help guide the Celtics to the
Eastern Conference Finals three times in a four-year span but lost twice in
2017 and 2018 to now Lakers four-time Kia MVP and two-time Finals MVP LeBron
James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in five and seven games respectably, and to
the Heat in six games in 2020.
Smith said that there is no set timetable
for hiring a new head coach and that they feel on pressure to hire their next
head coach right before the 2022 NBA Draft near the end of this month.
Wojnarowski said on Wednesday though that
former Lakers’ head coach Frank Vogel was interviewed for the head coaching
vacancy. The team also interviewed assistant coach Lamar Skeeter for their head
coaching position.
“We’re going to take our time,” Smith said
of finding the right person to be the next head coach of the Jazz. “Got to get
it right.”
Ainge echoed those same feelings saying,
“There’s a lot of names I know and I’m familiar with in the coaching world.”
“This will be much different than the two
previous and probably more thorough.”
Jazz All-Star center and three-time Kia
Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert echoed those same sentiments saying on
his Twitter page @rudygobert27 last week, “Forever grateful for Quin. Gave me a
chance 8 years ago and believed in me when not a lot of people did. And he
helped our team grow into a Western Conference powerhouse through all the ups
and downs. Wishing you nothing but the best in your next chapter.”
Gobert added in a statement at the end of
this past season about Coach Snyder, “I loved my time with Quin. There’s always
going to be take about a lot of things, especially when you have disappointing
endings like we had this season.”
The other half of the Jazz All-Star duo
Donovan Mitchell said of Coach Snyder following the Jazz’s Game 6 setback
versus the Mavericks, “Love Quin. I love Quin. Love Quin.”
“He’s a guy that gave me an opportunity
when I first got here and trusted in me, believed in me. He’s a guy that I
think has had so much talked about and he’s been headstrong, he’s been steady
with it throughout the year.”
In the early part of this month though,
Mitchell according to Wojnarowski about Snyder’s resigning said he was
“surprised and disappointed.”
Sources also told Wojnarowski that Mitchell wonders what Coach Snyder’s resigning means for the future of the Jazz.
In terms of who is in the running to replace Snyder, NBA Insider for The Stadium's Shams Charania said on the June 10 addition of "Inside the Association" includes former Portland Trail Blazers' head coach Terry Stotts, who was fired in the summer of 2021 after nine seasons as their sideline leader, where they made the Playoffs in eight straight seasons.
Charania also said that the Jazz have interviewed former head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers Frank Vogel, who was fired from L.A. back in April after leading them to their 17th title in franchise history in 2019-20.
The Jazz's coaching search also includes several assistant coaches like Johnnie Bryant of the New York Knicks, a former assistant coach with the Jazz. Will Hardy of the Easter Conference champion Boston Celtics. Adrian Griffin of the Toronto Raptors. Charles Lee of the Bucks. Kevin Young of the Phoenix Suns, and current assistant coach Alex Jensen of the Jazz, who was Coach Snyder's lead assistant for the past few seasons.
Charania even said that the Jazz may expand their head coaching search beyond the aforementioned individuals because they want this to be an extended process to find the right person to be their next head coach to hopefully lead them to better results in the postseason.
That search expanded last week when Charania, who said the Jazz have interviewed double-digit candidates for their head coaching vacancy included former NBA veteran and head coach of the NBA's G League's Grand Rapids Gold, the affiliate of the Denver Nuggets.
That seriousness comes from the fact that he spent time with Ainge when he played for the Celtics in the early part of the previous decade and spent some time with Zanik when he was a part of the Bucks' front office.
"He is a serious candidate for the job," Charania said about Terry's chances to be the next head coach for the Jazz. "So, it seems right now, they're going to go with a young assistant. It really more likely. But whoever it ends up being, they're going to have their hands full because this is a franchise that could be going in another direction when you think about rebuilding possibly."
New leadership on the sidelines may be the first of possibly a plethora of changes made by the Jazz this offseason.
There is the possibility that after a
couple of disappointing finishes by the Jazz in the postseason that the
Mitchell Gobert era might come to a close.
Moving both players will not be easy
because both have a lot of money and years left on their current contracts.
Gobert is owed $85 million over the next two seasons, along with a $46.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season. Mitchell is owed $67.5 million for the next two seasons, followed by a $37 million player option.
The relationship between Mitchell and
Gobert has had its difficulties on a few occasions over the last few seasons
going back to Mar. 11, 2020, when Gobert was the first NBA player who tested
positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19), with Mitchell testing positive a day later.
Both players did manage to recover, and in
the restart managed to get the Jazz into the 2020 Playoffs in the restart in
Orlando, FL and in the 2020 Playoffs went right down to Game 7 against the No.
3 Seeded Denver Nuggets had them down 3-1. The Nuggets recovered to tie the
series at 3-3 and with a chance to win it in Game 7 but a game-winning triple
by former swingman of the Jazz Joe Ingles went in-and-out at the final buzzer.
The speculation has only intensified about
whether the Jazz 1-2 punch of a dynamic scorer in Mitchell and one of the
league’s dominant defenders on the interior in Gobert can lead them to an NBA
title.
Both will for sure have interest from
other teams if the Jazz choose to put both players on the trading block and it
is also likely that one or both players might be asked for a change of address.
“There’s things that could change,”
Mitchell acknowledged at the end of this past season. “I’m not ready to discuss
that, to be honest with you right now. Mentally, I’m just not in that headspace
to be completely honest with you. I’m really not, For me, this sucks.”
The Jazz enter this offseason with an
uncertain future with the resignation of head coach Quin Snyder and the
possibility of a major overhaul of their roster, with their star duo of Donovan
Mitchell at the forefront of those possible changes.
When Coach Snyder was hired back in 2014,
no one knew what to expect. He was a relative unknown. But in a quick period of
time had the Jazz back in the Playoffs in 2017 and worked to build themselves
into a championship caliber squad.
Unfortunately, they could not translate
their regular season success in the playoffs, and now have to possible scraped
what they have built and start possibly from squad one in building themselves
into a team that can get over the hump and make it at least to the Western
Conference Finals next season, if the same roster comes back for 2022-23
season, which is highly unlikely.
Whoever succeeds Coach Snyder will be just
the fourth head coach for the Jazz in the last 34 seasons.
Smith’s ideal successor for Coach Snyder
in his mind will be someone who has the ability to build on the foundation that
Snyder has already laid rather than rebuilding from scratch what they already
have.
“There’s not really a playbook when it comes to this,” Smith said. “I’m super fortunate to be in an organization that Quin has helped build up. He’s left this organization a heck of a lot better than he found it. But more than that, he’s built a foundation that we can go build from.”
As for Coach Snyder’s future head coaching
prospects in the NBA, he was rumored to be in line for the head coaching
vacancy by Lakers before they hired longtime assistant coach with the Lakers,
Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks Darvin Ham, who served on the same staff with now
Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer with the Hawks in 2013-14, which also
included current head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies Taylor Jenkins and current
assistant coach on Steve Kerr’s staff with the Golden State Warriors Kenny
Atkinson.
Snyder was even considered to be the
future successor for Coach Popovich of the Spurs, the all-time winningest coach
in NBA history at 1,344 wins and counting.
Coach Snyder has declined to say how soon
he will take another coaching job and is content on being happy with how he
concluded things with the Jazz and will wait for the right opportunity to get
back into coaching whether that’s possibly with the Spurs if Coach Popovich
suddenly decides to retire or somewhere else.
“That has not been on my mind at all. Just
been focused on this,” Snyder said about his next move. “I don’t know what I’m
going to do next year as far as coaching next year or anything along those
lines.”
When it comes to his eight years as the
head coach of the Utah Jazz, Snyder said how “incredible grateful” he was to
have spent nearly a decade working for a “respected and historic” organization
in the “beautiful, kind, and supportive community” of Salt Lake City. How he
could not have asked to work for “better owners” in first the Miller family and
with Ryan and Ashley Smith.
“They represent the Utah Jazz in every
good way and I know the team couldn’t be in better hands with Ryan’s ownership.
He is fiercely proud of and committed to doing what is right for the Utah Jazz
and bringing a championship to Utah,” Snyder said.
“It has also been an honor working with
the entire ownership group of Mike [Cannon-Brookes], Ryan [Sweeney], Dwyane
[Wade] and others. Danny and Justin Zanik are providing strong leadership and I
greatly appreciate their efforts and working with them.”
“I am forever appreciative of all the
players, coaches, partners, and people I have worked with at the Jazz. Your
sacrifice, your kindship have made this an incredible and special experience.
Amy and I are so grateful for our time here as it has been just a tremendous
place to raise our family.
Information, statistics, and quotations
are courtesy of 5/28/2022 1 a.m. NBATV’s “Playoff Central Live” With Kristen
Ledlow, Isiah Thomas, and Sam Mitchell; 6/5/2022 www.nba.com
“Quin Snyder Steps Down As Utah Jazz Head Coach After 8 Seasons;” 6/6/2022 12
a.m. ESPN’s “Sportscenter” With Max McGee and Zubin Mehenti; 6/6/2022 www.nba.com
story, “Quin Snyder Resigns As Coach Of Jazz After 8 Seasons,” By Tim Reynolds
of “The Associated Press;” 6/6/2022 www.nba.com
story, “Danny Ainge Says Jazz ‘Desperately’ Wanted Snyder To Stay,” By John
Coon of “The Associated Press;” 6/10/2022 1:30 a.m. "Inside The Association," presented by AT&T 5G and Draft Kings Sports Book on Bally Sports Oklahoma With Camron Smith, Shams Charania, Pat Garrity, and Julian Edlow; 6/16/2022 5 a.m. "Inside The Association," presented by AT&T 5G and Draft Kings Sportsbook on Bally Sports Oklahoma With Camron Smith, Shams Charnia, Antoine Walker, and Chirag Hira https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/popovgr99c.html;
https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/sloanje01c.html;
and https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quin_Snyder.
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