Although the Jazz were eliminated in the first round for the third time in four years, the team’s ownership and management groups don’t consider head coach Quin Snyder part of the problem in Utah, sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic. The comments made by general manager Justin Zanik during a media session on Friday certainly back that up.
“Quin Snyder is one of the best coaches in the NBA,” Zanik said, according to Erik Walden and Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. “There is no other partner I would rather have as a coach and as a leader of our players and as a partner in our front office than Quin Snyder.”
According to Amick, Snyder has one guaranteed year left on his contract with the Jazz, then has an option year (the option decision is Snyder’s, not the team’s) for 2023/24. However, sources tell The Athletic that the head coach has been unsure for much of the year what his future holds and plans to assess his options now that the season is over. Staying with the Jazz, going to a new team, or even taking a year off are all options, Amick writes.
Veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein, who first reported on the Snyder situation in March, says today that the Lakers‘ interest in the veteran coach is serious, but adds that there’s skepticism in coaching circles that Snyder would leave Utah for Los Angeles, given the drama that surrounded Frank Vogel during his tenure with the team.
Stein, who reiterates that the Jazz unsuccessfully tried to extend Snyder prior to the 2021/22 season, agrees with Amick that the idea of the 55-year-old taking a year off isn’t out of the question. Snyder is “known to be held in high regard” by the Spurs, according to Stein, who suggests that a one-year hiatus from coaching could put him in position to become Gregg Popovich‘s successor.
Here’s more on the Jazz:
- In addition to relaying Zanik’s comments about Snyder, Walden and Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune passed along several more of the most interesting quotes from the general manager’s Friday press conference. Notably, Zanik dismissed the idea that the interpersonal dynamics of Utah’s players – including Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert – are a concern. “They’ve given themselves to each other. And all the outside narratives is just a bunch of noise,” Zanik said. “Internally, I see it every day. These guys care about each other.” The GM also referred to Mitchell and Gobert as “foundational pieces.”
- In a fascinating story for ESPN.com, Tim MacMahon takes a look at some of the steps the Jazz have taken to make sure Mitchell is comfortable in Utah and explains why multiple teams have been monitoring the situation closely in anticipation of the All-Star guard possibly asking to be traded. Within a story about the Knicks‘ ongoing interest in Mitchell, Marc Berman of The New York Post says league sources have speculated about the Heat being a potential landing spot for the 25-year-old.
- As MacMahon outlines, Mitchell became the fourth player of 18 (at the time) who signed rookie scale extensions since the 2011 lockout to get a player option in his contract, and the first three (Paul George, Kyrie Irving, and Anthony Davis) all pushed for trades before those deals expired. Some rival executives have also speculated that market size is important to Mitchell, says MacMahon, whose story is worth reading in full.
- According to John Hollinger of The Athletic, if Danny Ainge and the Jazz want to seriously shake up their roster this summer, trading Gobert would be the most logical way to do it. Hollinger identifies some hypothetical trade partners if Utah decides to go that route, breaking down how a Gobert deal might work for the Hornets, Hawks, Raptors, Knicks, or Grizzlies.
Mitchell’s a suburban NY kid. He’s been wanting out of SLC for years, and is playing his “I’m demanding a trade privately but agonizing publicly” card just as his agents coached him and how all the others have done it. If he’s not in a bigger market by opening day I will be shocked. But whomever is lusting after him, beware: He’s really small and plays no defense, and has many games when he’s more a chucker than a scorer. He needs a shot blocker behind and shooters around him. Don’t give up too much.
“They’ve given themselves to each other.” Sounds sexy!
Very erotic…
Snyder is a good coach but maybe it’s time for a mutual separation. He can be an assistant in San Antonio then take the reins when Pops retires. Give Vogel a godfather offer.
As far as roster moves? Go all in on one more make it or break it season. Trade Clarkson for anything you can get. Move Conley to the bench to take his place and run the 2nd unit. Take the training wheels off Mitchell. Give him the ball and see if he can be a lead guard. His assists have trended up every season his career. Move O’neale to the 2 guard. Then go all in to aquire a big bouncy wing that can defend and shoot. Overpay in a trade if they have to. They have enough trade exceptions that should be able to make something happen. They also have a few 1sts and Clarkson’s contract for matching purposes. Offer it all for Jerami Grant. If that doesn’t work offer Otto Porter Jr the full mid-level. I don’t really like them but see if a Morris twin is available.
Give it one year and if it doesn’t work blow it up. Mitchell to New York for 2 or 3 1sts. Gobert for a couple more 1sts then bottom out and start over.
That’s a really good post but I’m of the opinion you have to deal Mitchell now. He does get dinged up a little bit and his value is currently still extremely high.
I don’t think he wants to be in Utah and gobert can sense it. Rudy’s trying to help push him out the door with his sideways comments. I think you have to keep Rudy and get rid of Donovan Mitchell now, not next summer.
Not a great sign for Utah. Zanik seems to think the pairing of Rudy and Spida can work and that coaching isn’t a problem. He is about the only person who holds both of those thoughts. Look forward to another first round exit I suppose.
Utah has had some untimely injuries to really key pieces the last couple of years. I also think they need to do a little more to address a small ball 5 situation than they already did, b/c that obviously is still an issue, and they need to find help to replace Ingles on the wing
Mitchell is not coming to NY. Unless it involves Randle. Which I doubt would ever happen. Why would Knicks trade for Rudy. When we have Mitch or can draft Duren. Stop reading this nonsense. Why are the Knicks part of every rumor. Cans you understand that’s logistically Impossible. Would love to have Mitchell. It ain’t happening lols.
Jazz need to redo team. They need shooters around Rudy and Mitchell. This team is Done.
Coach Snyder always looks so tired to me, more than a regular head coach does. He’s always so figgity in interviews. He should look into Focus Factor to help with his anxiety and focus in interviews. Helps me not be so jittery.
If I had to guess, I’d guess Snyder either stays with the Jazz or takes a year off. I don’t see him jumping into a fresh situation when he’s already got everything a head coach in the current NBA could want.
I don’t see him going to the Spurs. Feels like a lateral move. Besides, Coach Popovich always admired the Jazz and vice versa. Coaching the Jazz is like coaching a brother team, in that regard.
The Lakers don’t seem like a good fit based on their lack of loyalty and chaos. If Snyder already has an anxiety problem then the Lakers would make that worse.
You know, he could take a year off and come back to the Jazz. Maybe that would help both parties in the long run?
As for Mitchell and Gobert, both guys are sincere in interviews. Both haven’t just said they like Utah. They’ve both said multiple times they love Utah and want to stay here. Both get upset when people keep asking them that.
It’s like when love someone but that annoying neighbor/friend/coworker keeps asking you if you still do. People and media need to stop projecting their insecurities into these poor guys. Just believe them and thank them.
The next step is not settle for status quo. Keep trying different pieces until the team versatility is good enough to compete against every team. Can’t keep blaming matchups.
In my opinion, long, athletic players are usually the most versatile at every position.
A whole team of them is epic! Just look at the Bucks vs the Suns in last year’s Finals. You can also look at the Bucks vs the Celtics in game 1 of this year’s Semis.