The latest update is... there is no update.
Since March, there have been reports from Marc Stein and others that the Utah Jazz have talked contract extension with coach Quin Snyder but not gotten anywhere. Now comes the latest update, coutesy Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon of ESPN, which says the sides have been talking a lot recently but there is still no contract extension or assurance he will be back next season.After weeks of conversations with ownership and management, Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder’s future remains unclear and a possibility exists that he could decide to end his eight-year tenure with the franchise, sources told ESPN.
While talks are described as “good faith” attempts at a resolution that’ll keep Snyder, discussions with owner Ryan Smith and CEO of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge have yet to secure the coach’s return for next season, sources said.
The best sign there is trouble in Salt Lake: Snyder is under contract to coach next season but there are questions about whether he returns.
The Jazz are at a crossroads as an organization. They have been good during the Donovan Mitchell/Rudy Gobert era — Utah had the best record in the NBA a season ago — but were bounced in disappointing ways in the playoffs every season. Last year it was a Clippers team without Kawhi Leonard. This year it was the Mavericks in the first round. It feels like the Mitchell/Gobert era has run its course, with new ownership and a new front office looking to shake things up.
The rumors are everywhere and about everything. The Jazz are reportedly considering major changes such as trading Rudy Gobert and retooling around Donovan Mitchell. Or just smaller changes with the supporting cast and keeping their stars. There could be shake-ups in the front office.
Then there is Snyder. Is he the coach for what comes next in Utah? Does he want to be? Or does he want to take a year off and then take over for Gregg Popovich in San Antonio? If Snyder desperately wanted out of Utah, the Lakers and other teams could have been a soft landing spot, but he didn’t want to talk to those teams. If he coaches anywhere next season, it will be with the Jazz.
The interesting questions about this latest ESPN report: Who leaked it and why? Is it Snyder’s camp leaking about the Jazz to pressure them into the changes he wants in the team? Is it the team leaking because they believe it puts some pressure on Snyder? What it feels like is one side is greasing the skids for Snyder’s exit because ongoing talks show the sides are not on the same page. But which side did the talking?
There are far more questions than answers for Utah heading into the offseason, which is rarely a good sign for any franchise.
