The Jazz have identified some initial candidates for the team’s vacant head coaching job, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Former Blazers coach Terry Stotts, Jazz assistant Alex Jensen, Celtics assistant Will Hardy, Knicks assistant Johnnie Bryant, and Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin will all be considered for the position.
In addition, the Jazz are also expected to consider Bucks assistant Charles Lee and Suns assistant Kevin Young, per Charania and The Athletic’s Tony Jones (Twitter link).
Charania mentioned those coaches are among the initial list of candidates, so more names may be added in the coming days. As ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported (via Twitter), Utah is immediately launching a head coaching search in wake of Quin Snyder‘s decision to step down.
The Jazz are coming off a 49-33 season. The team lost in six games to the Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs, ending an inconsistent campaign. Despite making the playoffs six straight years, the team hasn’t been able to advance past the second round.
Utah is one of two teams that currently don’t have a head coach. The other is the Hornets, who are reportedly nearing a decision on their search.
Of the names being considered above I say bring back Johnny Bryant from the Knicks. The Knicks hired to help lure Mitchell to NY so counterpunch and make him Utah’s head coach.
John Stockton? Marlone?
I say keep expanding the search to involve college coaches as well. Sometimes a fresh perspective from a different level is needed.
As I was saying in the first announcement comments, the coach needs to be a great communicator and great at putting you at ease. Coach needs to create an attractive environment the young stars want to be apart of.
Hiring a coach just to lure a player rarely works out. The coach needs to be creative yet strong. Helps to be great at strategy. Of course, vision and seeing every player’s potential will help in drafting as well as coaching.
Phil Jackson is a guy that may seem weird to some. However, I did like how he connected with players. He’d give them books to read to expand their minds and make them more interesting people. After all, reading does make your smarter.
Need a coach who can handle coaching very smart players and not insecure about his own intelligence. Someone genuinely interested in talking to people and learning about them.
Running it back or breaking it up? That’s got to be a more important issue than a coach first.
Terry Stotts would make sense or Adrian Griffin
I would hire Sam Cassell….I hope they don’t, but that’s the guy I would be chasing
Dan Craig should get a look at this
Please hire Adrian Griffin and draft AJ Griffin thank you
Really how many candidates do they need? The way Snyder has been talked about lately wouldn’t they already have a list. The teams that meet with 16-20 candidates to me is crazy, especially like the rumors that have been flying. Wouldn’t you at least have a list? The Steelers looked at what 3 million for those GM job and then gave it to the guy in the office next door. I mean come on.
No downside in interviewing people and talking to candidates to see how they think even if it’s just partially to mutually share intel on ways of thinking. But yeah i get it the Steelers one was wild
The usual musical chairs game
No interest in Vogel? He’s certainly got a better resume than Stotts.