40. Quin Snyder And The Utah Jazz Coaching Staff
Sep 10, 2021, 11:50 AM | Updated: 11:56 am
Quin Snyder with members of the Utah Jazz coaching Staff (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz open their season on October 20, just 40 days from today. With the clock ticking, we look at 50 things for Jazz fans to be excited about leading up to the 2021-22 NBA season. Coming in at number 40, Quin Snyder and the Jazz coaching staff.
Quin Snyder And The Utah Jazz Coaching Staff
The Jazz coaching staff is headed by Snyder who enters his eighth season in Utah coming off his best year overseeing the team.
Snyder led the Jazz to the best record in the NBA, finished third in Coach of the Year voting, and oversaw the Western Conference All-Star team for the first time in his career.
Last season, Dell Demps, Mike Wells, Alex Jensen, Jeff Watkinson, Bryan Bailey, Vince Legarza, Lamar Skeeter, Sergi Oliva, and Keyon Dooling made up Snyder’s staff of assistants.
Quin Snyder is reportedly adding Erdem Can to the @utahjazz coaching staff. https://t.co/mT9LY4sSQC
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 20, 2021
During the offseason, the Jazz added longtime European coach Erdem Can and veteran NBA assistant Irv Roland to the staff.
While the team’s assistants will play a crucial role, all eyes will be on how Snyder handles what should be the most highly anticipated season for the franchise this century.
After a disappointing exit in the second round of the playoffs, the Jazz mostly doubled down on their existing roster.
During the offseason, owner Ryan Smith made an enormous financial commitment to the roster re-signing Mike Conley, while adding Rudy Gay, Hassan Whiteside, Eric Paschall, and Jared Butler who figure to be minor alterations to the Jazz bench but highlight the belief the team has in its core.
The team also moved on from Vice President of Basketball Operations Dennis Lindsey who transitioned into an advisory role with the team but was believed to have differing views from Snyder on how to best build the roster.
Our countdown of the top 50 reasons to be excited for the 2021-22 @utahjazz season. #TakeNote https://t.co/X45AS6m2de
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) September 8, 2021
Both running the 2021-22 season back with a nearly identical roster and not filling the role left vacant by Lindsey clears room for Snyder to have an even larger impact on the team’s fortunes.
The veteran coach now carries a heavier burden as he must make the adjustments necessary to overcome the team’s shortfalls over the last several seasons, and bears a louder voice in a less crowded Jazz brain trust.
The team should once again casually stroll into the Western Conference Playoffs and would compete for home-court advantage through at least the first few rounds. But how they elevate themselves to true Finals contenders will largely fall on Snyder’s shoulders.
Rapidly closing in on opening night, the performance of Snyder and the Jazz coaching staff is one of the 50 storylines to watch as the season approaches.
