Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder steps down after 8 seasons; Donovan Mitchell 'unsettled'
Quin Snyder’s time in Utah has come to an end.
Snyder officially stepped down as the Jazz’s head coach on Sunday, the team announced. It was just simply time, he said.
"I strongly feel that they need a new voice to continue to evolve. That's it," Snyder said in a statement, in part. "No philosophical differences, no other reason. After eight years, I just feel it is time to move onward."
Snyder just finished his eighth season with the Jazz, who were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round by the Dallas Mavericks. His status in Utah has been in question since the season ended. The Jazz now join the Charlotte Hornets as the only teams in the league without a head coach.
Snyder finished with a 372-264 overall record, and made the playoffs in the previous six seasons — however he failed to get out of the Western Conference semifinals and he went just 21-30 in the postseason.
“Quin Snyder has embodied what Jazz basketball is for the last eight years," Jazz owner Ryan Smith said in a statement. "The tireless work ethic and attention to detail Quin displayed each day is a testament to the professional he is. I have nothing but admiration for Quin and respect his decision.
“On behalf of Ashley and I along with our ownership group and our entire organization, we thank Quin and Amy from the bottom of our hearts for all of their contributions to the state of Utah and the Jazz and wish them nothing but the best.”
It's unknown what Snyder will do next, though it's widely believed that he still wants to coach. The Jazz marked his first head-coaching job in the league after he spent four seasons bouncing around as an assistant. Eventually, though, he's sure to be a top coaching candidate elsewhere in the NBA.
Possible candidates for Jazz head coach
A few names immediately circulated as potential candidates for the Jazz's now-open job, including a few who have ties to Utah.
Former Jazz assistant and now New York Knicks assistant coach Johnnie Bryant and current Jazz assistant Alex Jensen were among the names expected to be considered, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania. Former Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts, who spent time around the Jazz this season, also was among the possible candidates.
Two more Jazz head coaching candidates on the initial list: Bucks assistant Charles Lee and Suns assistant Kevin Young, sources tell me and @Tjonesonthenba. https://t.co/arICswqY2S
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 6, 2022
Donovan Mitchell reportedly ‘unsettled’
With Snyder out, the Jazz have plenty of questions to answer heading into next season.
And at least one of their stars is “unsettled.”
Donovan Mitchell was reportedly “surprised and disappointed” by Snyder’s decision to step down on Sunday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, and he’s been left “unnerved and wondering what it means for the franchise’s future.”
The Jazz certainly don’t need to rebuild now. Snyder has turned them into a consistent contender in the Western Conference with Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and others. Yet if Mitchell is unhappy with Snyder’s move, there could be cause for concern going forward.
Mitchell averaged 25.9 points and 5.3 assists last season, his fifth with the Jazz. The 25-year-old, who earned his third straight All-Star nod last season, has four years left on his five-year, $163 million deal with the team.
If Mitchell ends up wanting out, the Jazz front office will have a lot more to do than simply finding a new head coach this offseason.
