ESPN REPORT: The Utah Jazz Head Coach is Being Fired Due to…
After eight seasons with the Utah Jazz, coach Quin Snyder announced his resignation on Sunday.
According to sources who spoke with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Snyder thought it was time to step down from his position after the Jazz ownership and management tried for several weeks to persuade him to come back as coach, even providing a contract extension.
Wojnarowski was informed by sources that Snyder had two years remaining on his deal, with his personal option for the final year.
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After the season, Snyder had hip surgery, and he has been recovering to full health. It is anticipated that Snyder would be given top consideration by practically any team with an opportunity if he chooses to submit himself as a candidate for coaching positions in the future.
Snyder said in a statement that while he was “grateful” for his time with the Jazz, the players’ needs ultimately guided his choice.
“Our players’ love of the game, their will to always work toward improvement, and their commitment to the club and the Jazz are what really motivate me every day. I think they really need a fresh perspective to keep developing. And that’s it. Philosophical disagreements or any other cause. I simply feel like it’s time to move on after eight years,” Snyder stated in a statement. “I needed to take time to detach after the season and make sure this was the right decision.”
The Jazz intend to start looking for a coach right away, people close to the team informed Wojnarowski.
In his eight seasons with the Jazz, Snyder finished with a 372-264 record, which was only surpassed by Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors and Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs for the third-longest tenure with a franchise among active head coaches.
Hall of Famer Jerry Sloan’s 1,127 victories with the Jazz are the most victories by any head coach in team history, with Snyder’s 372 victories coming in second.
Snyder was instrumental in Utah’s transformation into a recurring postseason squad, even after taking over a team that had just finished with a 25-57 record. Utah has not progressed past the conference semifinals during this timeframe, despite the Jazz having the longest active postseason streak in the Western Conference at six years.
During Snyder’s career, Utah has had significant organizational changes at all levels, especially in the last two years with Ryan Smith purchasing the team from the Miller family and Danny Ainge replacing Dennis Lindsey as head basketball executive.
Smith said in a statement, “For the last eight years, Quin Snyder has embodied what Jazz basketball is.” Quin is a professional, as seen by his unwavering work ethic and meticulous attention to detail on a daily basis. Quin has my utmost respect and I admire his decision.”
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