In the wake of head coach Quin Snyder stepping down from his post with the Utah Jazz on Sunday after eight seasons with the team, candidates to replace the long-time head coach have emerged.
According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, Utah has zeroed in on five possible replacements for Snyder. The initial candidates include former Trailblazers coach Terry Stotts, and assistant coaches, Johnnie Bryant (New York Knicks), Alex Jensen (Jazz), Will Hardy (Boston Celtics) and Adrian Griffin (Toronto Raptors).
Sources: Among initial candidates for Utah’s open head coaching job: Knicks assistant Johnnie Bryant, Jazz assistant Alex Jensen, former Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts, Celtics assistant Will Hardy and Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 5, 2022
Stotts, 64, has 13 years of NBA coaching experience with the Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks and Trail Blazers. He led Portland for nine seasons, from 2012 to 2021, compiling a 402-318 record and a 22-40 mark in the postseason.
Bryant, 36, spent the first six seasons of his NBA coaching career as an assistant with the Jazz, from 2014 to 2020. He's spent the last two seasons with the Knicks as an associate head coach.
Jensen, 46, has been an assistant with the Jazz since 2014. Jensen played his college ball at Utah before a seven-year career playing overseas. Before joining the Jazz's coaching staff, Jensen earned coach of the year honors, leading the Canton Charge of the NBA's developmental league.
Hardy, 34, is a part of Gregg Popovich's coaching tree, spending his first five seasons coaching in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs. He joined the Celtics this season as Ime Udoka's top assistant.
Griffin, 47, has 14 years of NBA coaching experience with the Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder and Raptors. He's been the lead assistant with the Magic, Thunder and Raptors, winning an NBA tile with Toronto in 2019.
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