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Utah Jazz sign head coach Will Hardy to long-term extension
Utah Jazz sign head coach Will Hardy to long-term extension
Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy has been extended through the 2031 season, the organization announced Monday.
“We are excited to extend Will Hardy’s contract as head coach of the Jazz through 2031,” Jazz owner Ryan Smith tweeted Monday. “Will is a great leader, communicator, and ambassador for our org, and is a tremendous partner to Danny, JZ, and me. Our goal is to hang a banner, and Will is a huge part of this journey.”
While Utah’s win total has decreased from 37 to 17 over the last three seasons, Hardy’s tenure as head coach, most of his work has been through player development.
Since trading away Donovan Mitchell, Hardy has been instrumental to the development of Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, Keyonte George, Isaiah Collier and Lauri Markannen, who signed a five-year, $238 million extension with the Jazz last August.
”Will is an incredible teacher, communicator, and partner,” Justin Zanik, Jazz general manager, said via release. “He’s invested in individual development and development for us as a team. I’m not sure there’s anyone better in the league in investing in our group. He got players to believe in their own development and take charge of it.”
Hardy, 37, has been with the Utah Jazz since the start of the 2022-23 season after spending one season as Ime Udoka‘s lead assistant when he was with the Boston Celtics. He was previously in the Spurs organization under former head coach Gregg Popovich.
The Jazz are positioned to have a top-5 pick ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, which is less than two months away. Thus, barring trading back (which Danny Ainge has done while being in the top-5 in the past), they are guaranteed at least one of Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe, Ace Bailey, Tre Johnson or Kon Knueppel, depending on how their board looks.
Utah has three total picks (2 FRP, 1 SRP) to work with, so three fresh bodies for Hardy to develop, which he’s done a solid job doing during his short time. It’s a work in progress. They also have multiple first-round picks in the next two drafts.
The Jazz may have to consolidate–including maybe flipping Markkanen–at some point, but I don’t think they will be in a poor position to possibly compete in a few years if they hit on these picks and continue developing their guys. But that will much easier said than done.
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