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SALT LAKE CITY — After the team's disappointing, yet predictable, exit in the first round of the playoffs, Utah Jazz executives go into the offseason searching for answers to several questions.
Topping the agenda is the future of coach Quin Snyder. A fixture on the sidelines for eight seasons, Snyder has yet to commit to a return.
"I don't know how I can make it any more clear," Jazz general manager Justin Zanik said the day after the Dallas Mavericks disposed of the Jazz 4-2 in the best-of-seven series. "Quin Snyder is one of the best coaches in the NBA. There's no other partner that I would rather have as a coach, a leader of our players and a partner in the front office than Quin Snyder."
Team owner Ryan Smith and team CEO of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge, who have stewardship over the franchise, echo the sentiments. Contract extension details still need to be agreed upon.
Accounting for all the reassurances management have given Snyder, it's safe to assume the job belongs to him. But does he want it?
For a multitude of reasons, the Jazz need to get a commitment from Snyder within the next 10 days. History shows they can't afford to wait much longer.
Five years ago, Gordon Hayward forced the Jazz to hang in the wind as the free agent forward decided his fate. Foolish to think they could re-sign their best player at the time, the Jazz stood idle as the NBA conducted its business once the free agency signing period began.
Ultimately, as was expected, Hayward had stars in his eyes and signed with the Boston Celtics, intent on chasing all the glory that comes with succeeding for one of the league's glamour franchises. Meanwhile, waiting until last to make their pitch to a player who was gone, the Jazz missed out on signing big-time players who would have seriously considered coming to Utah.
Follow the same premise with Snyder, who might want to pursue other NBA coaching jobs. To ward off missing out on other candidates, the Jazz might want to move on without a commitment soon.
The next week or so gives Snyder plenty of time to reach a decision. Certainly, he's right to gauge any other potential interest around the league, if for no other reason than to drive up the purchasing price.
Jazz GM addresses reports surrounding Quin Snyder, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert
Utah Jazz general manager Justin Zanik was light on specifics Friday as he met with the media barely half day removed from Utah's season-ending loss.Several national reports have indicated Snyder will not return to the Jazz, but he remained undecided as the week ended.
For all his stated excellence, Snyder's playoff record is 21-30 and has never advanced beyond the second round — hardly the missing link to a championship.
Once the coaching issue is resolved, the attention obviously turns to the roster. Ill-timed Injuries gave the Jazz a ready-made excuse for early playoff exits the last two years, but not this season.
As the Mavericks showed in winning two games without injured All-Star Luka Doncic, the Jazz lack enough talent to compete for a championship. Despite Snyder's objections in a near 20-minute pregame lecture to the local media last month, all the blown double-digit leads late in the season were a window into the team's several shortcomings.
All the denials to the contrary, the complicated relationship between All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert remains an issue. The last several years the Jazz have gone to great lengths to satisfy virtually all of Mitchell's desires, proving their strong desire to keep him in the fold.
"I think Donovan and Rudy, along with some of our other players, are hugely important to the success of this organization," Zanik said. "When you're talking about building a championship house, it doesn't exist on just a foundation; it exists on everything else, as well."
Zanik went on to list individual credentials for Mitchell and Gobert, which includes consecutive All-Star appearances and, in Gobert's case, multiple defensive player of the year awards. Both players share a common goal of winning but together they have yet to make a serious run at the NBA title.
