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SALT LAKE CITY — Any time now, probably within the next several days, the Jazz will announce the hiring of the franchise’s fifth head coach since moving to Salt Lake City.
Not since Frank Layden took over for the fired Tom Nissalke has the team faced such an important coaching decision. For the first time since 1981 the Jazz are hiring a coach whose predecessor didn’t win enough.
Like with Layden and then Jerry Sloan, the Jazz got it right twice. Having won only one playoff series in five years and not qualifying for the postseason the last two years, the Jazz need to hire the right coach again.
As with most coaching vacancies, several names have been bandied about as potential candidates. At this point, two leading possibilities are Adrian Griffin and Quin Snyder.
Other names tossed about include Alvin Gentry, who was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers last season. Gentry has been the head coach for the Clippers, Miami Heat and the Phoenix Suns.
Gentry is one of several potential candidates with head coaching experience available to the Jazz. Since they are at least one season away from serious playoff contention the Jazz might want to grow with a rookie head coach, which brings us back to names such as Griffin and Snyder.
The two men have somewhat similar backgrounds: neither has ever been an NBA head coach. Each has paid his dues as an NBA assistant coach and appears ready to make the jump as a leading man.
Related:
Could Earl Watson be the next coach of the Utah Jazz?
Out of all the speculation floating around about who the next coach for the Utah Jazz will be, one particular name stands out as one of the more interesting storylines — former Jazz point guard Earl Watson.Seven years older than Griffin, Snyder has more experience, having begun his coaching career as an assistant with the Clippers in 1992. The former Duke Blue Devil also has an assistant at his alma mater, in Russia and with the Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers and Atlanta Hawks.
After a 10-year career in the NBA, Griffin was an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks and has spent the last four seasons on Tom Thibodeau’s staff with the Chicago Bulls.
Snyder has the edge over Griffin in experience as a head coach. From 1999- 2006, Snyder was the head coach at the University of Missouri where he led the Tigers to four consecutive berths in the NCAA tournament before resigning amid an NCAA investigation for rules violations. He also was a head coach in the NBA D-League for three seasons.
Among their differences there is one that could pay dividends for the Jazz. Griffin is African-American, the same race that dominates NBA rosters. The simple truth is, the Jazz would be best served to hire a black man as the head coach.
Like it or not, Salt Lake City has a reputation as being an unfriendly place for African-Americans to live. Even if it’s only guilt by false association, the Jazz also fight the perception that black players won’t be happy playing for the organization.
Longtime Jazz fans recall with at least a mild case of anger the line African- American player Derek Harper gave about the possibility of being traded to the Jazz: “You go live in Utah,” he said more than 15 years ago.
Some NBA observers believe the Jazz are more likely to draft or sign white players. Never mind that Gordon Hayward led his college team to within one field goal of winning the NCAA championship, his selection four years ago was cynically viewed as the Jazz drafting “the best available white guy.”
Many people, particularly here in Utah, would scoff at hiring a coach based on color. No one is suggesting the Jazz make race the highest priority, but it’s also naïve to ignore it.
The phrase “hire the most qualified person” sounds good, but isn’t always followed. Numbers would indicate in some cases it’s been rarely followed.
A decade ago African-Americans made up only 4 percent of the head coaches in college football. That number has more than doubled, but still the strong perception persists that black football coaches don’t get a second chance if the first time isn’t successful.
By hiring a qualified African-American to replace Tyrone Corbin, the Jazz would silence any critics. More importantly, the move could provide an advantage in retaining and signing players.
