The Utah Jazz are continuing their search for a new head coach. As they look for Quin Snyder's replacement on the job, they are looking heavily into someone from Ime Udoka's Boston Celtics coaching staff.
According to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune, Will Hardy is considered the leading candidate in the head coaching race. Jazz brass are developing a preference for younger assistant coaches as opposed to older coaches with head-coaching experience.
But three weeks into the process, it looks like the team’s decision-makers are favoring the younger assistant coaches in their search for a new leader. In particular, it’s Celtics’ assistant Will Hardy that is considered by many league insiders to be a leading candidate at this point.
Hardy has spent most of his NBA career as an assistant coach under Gregg Popovich with the San Antonio Spurs. After spending time as a video coordinator in San Antonio, he was an assistant coach for five years. He followed Udoka, another former Popovich assistant, to Boston last offseason.
Another former member of the Celtics organization interviewed for the Jazz gig. Sam Cassell, who won the 2008 title with Boston and has been an assistant coach for the past 13 seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, LA Clippers and Washington Wizards.
Whoever becomes the next coach for the Jazz will have to make the most of the roster and help the team become a legitimate championship contender. The instability in the roster will make it tough to compete but it could also bring the team closer together.