The Utah Jazz and long-time head coach Quin Snyder parted ways after another disappointing playoff appearance, and with the news that the Jazz were looking at hiring a first time coach, plenty of names such as Johnny Bryant, Will Hardy and Kevin Young, but NBA insider Shams Charania has broken the news today that Utah are close to confirming the next head coach of this franchise.
Boston Celtics assistant Will Hardy is closing in on deal to become the next head coach of the Utah Jazz, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 28, 2022
It seems that former Spurs and Celtics assistant coach Will Hardy is finalizing a deal, and given the young potential on this roster, this could be a great choice, but given his age (34 years old), it comes with potential downside. We’ve seen young coaches all across sports step up and make an impact in recent years, and given the experience under both Gregg Popovich and Ime Udoka, the Jazz wouldn’t be hiring Hardy unless they believed in him.
Hardy spent the 2021/22 NBA season as associate head coach under Udoka, who led the Celtics back to the finals for the first time since 2008, and given the talented roster currently assembled in Utah, he may be facing similar, immediate expectations upon his arrival to the Jazz.
If Hardy does take the job, he, along with Danny Ainge and the rest of this front office will need to figure out the Rudy Gobert/Donovan Mitchell situation, but if done correctly, this could be a franchise on the way up, even after years and years of sustained regular season success.
So what do you think? Is hiring Will Hardy the right choice for the job? Is there anyone you would have preferred? Who do you think Hardy will be looking at to build this franchise around? Let us know in the comments!