After eight seasons, the Utah Jazz and their head coach Quin Snyder have parted ways. While Snyder certainly deserves credit for getting the franchise back on track after some woeful seasons under Tyrone Corbin. The Jazz had a winning record in six of the eight seasons that they were coached by Snyder, however despite his success in the regular season he was never able to get the team past the second round and after a first round exit at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks this season it was evident that change was coming.
Since Snyder’s departure from the team several candidates for the position have been identified. Of those candidates, it has been reported that Boston Celtics assistant coach Will Hardy seems to have received serious consideration for the job. Hardy, at only 34 years old would be the youngest head coach in the league if he were to get the position. Before joining Ime Udoka’s staff in Boston, Hardy spent time on the San Antonio Spurs bench, where he even served as the head coach of their summer league team from 2015 to 2018.
Another name that has risen to the top of the Jazz’s list is Phoenix Suns assistant coach Kevin Young. He has only been in Phoenix for one season since leaving the 76ers where he served as an assistant, as well as the head coach of their G-League team the Delaware 87ers. Young has ties to the Beehive state having been born in Salt Lake City and spent time as an assistant for Utah Valley early in his career.
While there is a long list of coaches that the Utah Jazz were considering, it appears that these two young, would-be rookie head coaches are currently in the lead for the position. Whoever gets the job will have their hands full in their first year with rumors of both stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert being disgruntled. It will take the right coach to help unite the team and help get them over that post-season hump.