Will Hardy and the Utah Jazz have reached an agreement in principle on a five-year contract that will make the former assistant coach for the Boston Celtics the team’s new head coach, sources informed.
Hardy, 34, will be the NBA’s youngest head coach currently in service.
According to sources, Hardy, Jazz assistant Alex Jensen, Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin, and Celtics assistant Joe Mazzulla were the four finalists who met with ownership this week in Salt Lake City.
Quin Snyder, who resigned earlier this month, was replaced by The Jazz after a thorough search that included at least 15 applicants, under the direction of new CEO Danny Ainge. In his eight seasons with Utah, which has a current six-year postseason streak but hasn’t progressed past the Western Conference semifinals in that time, Snyder had a 372-264 record after taking over a rebuilding squad.
Hardy worked as an assistant coach with the Celtics for one season under Ime Udoka, assisting Boston in reaching the NBA Finals.
Hardy, a Division III Williams College graduate, started his career as the San Antonio Spurs’ video coordinator before being elevated to assistant coach status under Gregg Popovich. He also spent four years as the summer league team’s head coach in San Antonio.
Sources tell Wojnarowski that David Fizdale has decided to accept the position of assistant general manager with the Jazz.
Fizdale will transition into management and collaborate closely with Ainge and GM Justin Zanik after 18 seasons as an NBA head coach and assistant coach.
