Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder has officially chosen to step away from the organization, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Snyder spent a total of eight seasons with the franchise, turning the Jazz into a top squad in the Western Conference. However, despite numerous top-5 finishes, the team failed to make it past the second round in six-straight trips to the postseason. Wojnarowski noted that Snyder continues to have a strong relationship with the organization, but he has decided he wants to end his tenure.
After eight seasons as coach, Snyder simply decided that it's time to step away. Conversations had been amicable with team, relationships still strong, but Snyder has decided to leave after building the Jazz into a perennial playoff contender. https://t.co/1NCpfsgKku
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 5, 2022
After losing Snyder — the second winningest coach in franchise history — the Jazz plan to commence on a coaching search immediately, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 5, 2022
Widely viewed as one of the best head coaches in the game, the question now becomes where Snyder will go next. Rumors surfaced that he could be a target for the Lakers earlier this season, but Los Angeles already hired Bucks’ assistant Darvin Ham to be their new leader.
The only other head coach vacancy open belongs to the Charlotte Hornets, who are reportedly in talks with former-Nets head coach and current Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson for the job. If the Bulls’ situation with Billy Donovan proved anything, though, it’s that we can’t rule out a sudden change in plans.
Still, there is always the possibility Snyder sits out until a more appealing opportunity opens up. After all, some teams might be more prone to move on from their current head coach if they know Snyder is a possible get.
The other question we have to consider is what will happen to the rest of the Utah Jazz? Arguably no team has more intrigue around their future this offseason. Not only are they built around two All-Stars in Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, but they have a roster full of high-caliber role players. So could a Snyder departure be the first sign of massive changes to come?
Mitchell or Gobert would surely draw enormous interest in the trade market, and we can’t help but wonder if an aggressive Chicago Bulls front office would kick the tiers on either player. And, if not, it still would be an important trade market to keep an eye on, as the addition of either talent could drastically improve potential competition in the East.