SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, June 28, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Multiple news agencies are reporting that the Utah Jazz plans to hire Boston Celtics assistant Will Hardy as the next Jazz head coach.
The unconfirmed report was first tweeted by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who says Hardy has been offered a five-year contract. Hardy, 34, would become the NBA’s youngest active head coach if the deal goes through.
According to an ESPN report, Hardy was one of four finalists who met with Jazz owners in Salt Lake City in the past week. Other contenders were Celtics assistant Joe Mazzulla, Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin and Jazz assistant Alex Jensen, the article says, quoting undisclosed sources.
Hardy played at Division III Williams College, and his career as a video coordinator for the San Antonio Spurs, the ESPN article says. He was then promoted to assistant coach under Gregg Popovich. He also served as the head coach of San Antonio’s summer league team.
In 2021, Hardy left the Spurs to take an assistant coaching position with the Celtics under new head coach Ime Udoka.
Hardy would be only the sixth head coach to lead the team since it moved to Utah in 1979, and the ninth coach dating back to the organization’s time in New Orleans. Previews Jazz head coaches have been (in New Orleans) Scotty Robertson, Elgin Baylor, Butch van Breda Kolff, and (in Utah) Tom Nissalke, Frank Layden, Jerry Sloan, Tyrone Corbin, and Quin Snyder.
In a series of tweets, Wojnarowski names the other’s interviewed for the job, says Hardy is finalizing the deal to accept the job, that says assistant LA Lakers coach David Frizdale has agreed to be associate general manager for the Utah Jazz.
Hardy and the Utah Jazz have not released statements or confirmed rumors.
The Utah Jazz have offered Boston Celtics assistant Will Hardy the franchise’s head coaching job and he’s finalizing a deal to accept the job, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022
The Jazz are making a hire to the front office too: David Fizdale has agreed to become an associate GM, sources tell ESPN. After 18 seasons as an NBA head and assistant coach, Fizdale will move into management and work closely with GM Justin Zanik and CEO Danny Ainge with Jazz.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022
ESPN story on Boston Celtics assistant Will Hardy finalizing a five-year deal to become the Utah Jazz’s new coach: https://t.co/U5e8InVN5b
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022
