Report: Jazz Coach Diop Joins Rockets Bench
Nov 24, 2020, 10:10 AM | Updated: 10:24 am
Utah Jazz assistant coach DeSegana Diop (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Another Utah Jazz assistant coach is taking a job offer with a rval NBA team. According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, DeSagana Diop will leave the Jazz and join Stephen Silas staff with the Houston Rockets.
Silas was hired by the Rockets in late October and has now hired two assistantswith ties to the Jazz. In addition to Diop, longtime Jazz guard Jeff Hornacek joined the Rockets bench.
“Another big man headed to Houston: Former NBA center DeSagana Diop has joined Stephen Silas’ coaching staff,” MacMahon tweeted. “Diop had been a Jazz assistant coach the last four years.”
Another big man headed to Houston: Former NBA center DeSagana Diop has joined Stephen Silas’ coaching staff. Diop had been a Jazz assistant coach the last four years.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) November 24, 2020
Diop, the former eighth overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2002 played 12 seasons in the NBA before retiring in 2013. The Senegalese center had career averages of 2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.4 assists during his stints in Cleveland, Dallas, New Jersey, and Charlotte.
Diop is the latest of several Snyder assistant coaches to leave this offseason. Earlier this month Zach Guthrie accepted a job with the Dallas Mavericks, while assistant coach Johnnie Bryant was hired by the New York Knicks during the Jazz playoff run in the Orlando bubble.
Hear from the @UtahJazz newest additions Dell Demps and Keyon Dooling, and what it means to join the Jazz.
"I am absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with Coach Snyder again.” -Dempshttps://t.co/16uovbc4Sf
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) September 25, 2020
Despite the losses, the Jazz have added three new faces to Snyder’s staff. In September the Jazz added former new Orleans Pelicans general manager Dell Demps to Snyder staff. Longtime NBA veteran guard Keyon Dooling also joined the team.
In October the team hired Sergi Oliva, an analytics expert to join the team after leaving the Philadelphia 76ers coaching staff.
The NBA regular season is set to open on December 22, while training camp gets underway in early December.
