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SALT LAKE CITY — At the start of the decade, Jerry Sloan was leading the Jazz to a playoff series win with Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer. Yep, a decade is a long time.
Over the last 10 years, the Jazz have seen a legendary coach retire and traded up to draft two franchise cornerstones. They’ve also traded away an All-Star player and saw another one leave in free agency.
Here are some of the highs and lows, and the moments surrounding them that told the story of the Utah Jazz’s decade.
Sundiata Gaine’s buzzer-beater — Jan. 14, 2010
With Deron Williams hurt, 10-day contract point guard Sundiata Gaines was called on for some fourth-quarter minutes against LeBron James’s Cleveland Cavaliers in a nationally televised game. Gaines helped fuel a comeback and then, with the clock winding down and the Jazz down 2, the ball ended up in his hands. His fadeaway 3-pointer as time expired might just be the shot of the decade.
Paul Millsap’s miracle — Nov. 9, 2010
The Jazz were down 8 points with just 30 seconds remaining against LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Game over, right? Not to Paul Millsap. Millsap hit three straight 3s and then had the game-tying putback to send the game into overtime, where the Jazz would win the game.
Jerry Sloan resigns/D-Will traded — February 2011
February of 2011 was a dark month for many Jazz fans. Head coach Jerry Sloan abruptly resigned on Feb. 11 after the tension between him and Deron Williams came to a head in a loss to Chicago the night before. And just like that, the man who was Utah Jazz basketball was stepping down.
Two weeks later, the Jazz officially began the new era, trading Williams to the Nets for Derrick Favors, Devin Harris and two future picks
Dennis Lindsey hired as GM — Aug. 7, 2012
Since being hired as general manager, Dennis Lindsey has grown the Jazz into a potential NBA title contender. He traded up in drafts for Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, signed Joe Johnson (who helped win the Jazz a playoff series in 2017), found Joe Ingles and Royce O’Neale, and hired Quin Snyder as head coach.
The Gobert trade — June 27, 2013
During the 2013 draft, the Jazz made two deals to move up into the first round. The first — trading up for Trey Burke — was celebrated. The second — sending a second-pick and cash to Denver for Rudy Gobert — was an afterthought. But the latter move ended up being one of the best moves in franchise history. Gobert has won two defensive player of the year awards, anchored what has regularly been a top defense, become the game’s best screener, and set an NBA record for dunks.
Quin Snyder named head coach — June 6, 2014
Following one of the worst seasons in franchise history, Quin Snyder was hired to replace Ty Corbin as the team's head coach. Snyder has since become one of the more respected coaches in the league. He has coached the Jazz to three consecutive playoff appearances and two 50-win seasons in his first five-plus seasons in Utah.
Joe Johnson hits game-winner in Game 1 against the Clippers — April 15, 2017
The Jazz were in the playoffs for the first time in five years, they were on the road against a playoff-tested Los Angeles Clippers team, and Rudy Gobert was out with an injury. They called Joe Johnson "Joe Jesus" for a reason.
With the seconds winding down and the game tied, Johnson drove inside and put up a right-handed floater that bounced in at the buzzer. That gave the Jazz their first playoff win since a man named Jerry Sloan was coaching. The Jazz would win the series in seven games.
Jazz trade up for Donovan Mitchell – June 23, 2017
For the second time in the decade, the Jazz made a draft-day deal with Denver to get a franchise cornerstone — and it didn't take Donovan Mitchell long to show he was just that. He scored 41 points in 23rd NBA game, won the Dunk Contest, won a playoff series, got his own shoe, and scored 46 points twice — all before his second season was even over. Oh, and he’s been even better in his third season.
Gordon Hayward leaves — July 4, 2017
Despite Utah being a young and improving team, and the place he was groomed into an All-Star, Gordon Hayward left the Jazz for the Boston Celtics in free agency. How he did it didn’t make things easier to swallow, with his camp denying initial reports for much of the day before finally making it official in a Players’ Tribune piece.
Donovan Mitchell leads the Jazz to Game 6 victory over Thunder — April 27, 2018
Ricky Rubio was out with an injury and the Jazz were struggling without him. That’s when head coach Quin Snyder had some words for his star rookie.
"We're going to win this game, and you're going to go off," Snyder said, according to Donovan Mitchell.
Mitchell scored 22 of his 38 points in the third quarter, going toe-to-toe with Russell Westbrook, as the Jazz closed out the Thunder. It was an announcement to the rest of the league: Donovan Mitchell is a star.
