Quin Snyder’s seat with the Utah Jazz was never really hot.
Now it’s ice cold.
Barely one day after the Indiana Pacers decided that they wouldn’t be bringing back head coach Frank Vogel, the Jazz decided to double down on continuity, announcing an extension with Snyder that will keep him in Utah for the long haul:
“With this contract extension, we are declaring our confidence in Coach Snyder’s ability to continue to develop the Utah Jazz into a championship team,” said Gail Miller, owner of the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies. “The Miller family recognizes the significant progress made under his leadership and we are excited about the direction we are headed.”
“Our relationship with Quin, and this extension, reflect our shared passion for building a championship team,” said Steve Starks, president of the Utah Jazz. “With long-term contracts now in place for Quin, Dennis and other key front office personnel, we are well-positioned for the future.”
“We have continued to take significant steps as a team under Quin’s direction,” said Jazz General Manager Dennis Lindsey. “His work ethic, basketball intelligence and ability to connect with and develop our players make him the ideal head coach of the Jazz.”
Jazz fans shouldn’t really have any qualms about this move.
For one, the current coaching market isn’t rife with upgrades. And beyond that, Snyder has done a pretty good job over his first two seasons. The Jazz have yet to make the playoffs, but he inherited a 25-win team that he immediately turned into a fringe playoff contender.
The defense in particular under Snyder has been spectacular. The offense needs some work, but the Jazz will need to explore upgrades via trades and free agency. This team, as currently constituted, has peaked for the most part on that end of the floor.
Which is the other thing about Snyder: His body of work hasn’t come amid a roster facelift. There are new players, make no mistake, but they’ve come mostly through the draft. He has been entrusted with developing incumbent youngsters, and guys like Rodney Hood, Rudy Gobert and rookie Trey Lyles have improved by leaps and bounds with him at the helm.
Consider this, then, a smart move by the Jazz.
