Woj: Jazz Cleared For First Round Of Coaching Interviews
Jun 7, 2022, 6:37 PM
Terry Stotts is among the names that will interview for the open Utah Jazz head coaching position (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz have lined up several names to interview for their vacant head coaching job according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Jazz head coaching position opened Sunday after Quin Snyder resigned from his post. The initial group of names includes a few familiar faces with the Jazz, one former head coach, and some of the top assistants around the NBA.
“ESPN Sources: The Jazz received permission to interview several assistant coaches for head job, including Johnnie Bryant (Knicks), Will Hardy (Celtics), Charles Lee (Bucks), and Joe Mazzulla (Celtics). Jazz assistant Alex Jensen and Terry Stotts will interview too,” Wojnarowski tweeted.
ESPN Sources: The Jazz received permission to interview several assistant coaches for head job, including Johnnie Bryant (Knicks), Will Hardy (Celtics), Charles Lee (Bucks), and Joe Mazzulla (Celtics). Jazz assistant Alex Jensen and Terry Stotts will interview too.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 7, 2022
Despite the initial list of candidates, Wojnarowski reported there will be more names interviewed for the job.
“The list will grow longer with assistants and former head coaches; expect a lengthy, wide-open process,” Wojnarowski added.
On Monday, Jazz CEO Danny Ainge and owner Ryan Smith implied the team would take its time in replacing Snyder.
Ainge had previously hired Doc Rivers and Brad Stevens during his time with the Boston Celtics but said finding the next coach in Utah would be a new process.
A new @utahjazz era is set to begin.
Meet the candidates that are likely to replace Quin Snyder going forward. #TakeNote https://t.co/RezY0sKb43
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 6, 2022
“There’s a lot of names I know I’m familiar with in the coaching world,” Ainge said, “but this will be much different than the two previous ones. Probably more thorough.”
Bryant and Jensen have close ties to the Jazz having served as assistants under Snyder during his eight years in Utah.
Hardy was an assistant coach under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio before taking a job as an assistant under Ime Udoka with the Celtics this past season. Mazzula is also an assistant for the Celtics, but unlike Hardy, he was hired while Ainge was still in Boston.
Both Ryan Smith and Danny Ainge hinted at an extended coaching search for the @utahjazz.
What we learned about the Jazz offseason plans at today's press conference. #TakeNote https://t.co/INAQCEOZve
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 6, 2022
Lee is a longtime NBA assistant under Mike Budenholzer with the Atlanta Hawks and followed the coach to Milwaukee where the pair won an NBA title in 2021.
Stotts has made stops in the NBA in Atlanta and Milwaukee before his most successful run with the Portland Trail Blazers from 2012 to 2021.
“We’re going to take our time,” Smith said of the Jazz coaching search. “Got to get it right.”
