Quin Snyder has been one of the most solid coaches of the last decade in the NBA. He has kept his Utah Jazz in perennial playoff contention, first overachieving with this squad and taking them to the post-season when people weren’t expecting it, to taking the team all the way to the top of the league at the end of last season.
However, it has ended in heartbreak for many years now. The Jazz were fine as overachievers until 2019, but the team started to have genuine expectations put on them in 2020, where they blew a 3-1 lead in the first round. They followed that up with a league-best record in 2021 but were stunned by a Kawhi-less LA Clippers.
This year, the Jazz couldn’t even take advantage of an injured Luka Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks, who were without their star for the first three games of the series in the first round. It seems the last few years, coupled with strained relationships between Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert have taken their toll on the franchise and their coach.
ESPN reporting with @ESPN_MacMahon: After weeks of conversations with ownership and management, Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder’s future remains unclear and a possibility exists that he could decide to end his eight-year tenure with franchise: https://t.co/MFfns6fVqj
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 1, 2022
Snyder has done a great job of keeping this team together and competitive despite the fractured relationship his primary stars Mitchell and Gobert have had since they both tested positive for COVID-19 in March 2020, with Gobert’s recklessness spreading the disease to Mitchell.
They have made it work on the court, but this playoff run made it clear as day that this Jazz team in its current form can’t move any further. While a roster adjustment seems imminent, the franchise may just need to go for a fresh start with a new coach.
Snyder is under contract for the 2022-23 season, but his competitive drive has to be in serious question. Whether the Jazz would rather have him on despite that fire missing is something they have to deal with in an off-season that is bound to be loaded with challenges.
