Scott Layden, considered the mastermind behind the building of the Jazz, is leaving the team after 18 years to accept a lucrative job offer from the New York Knicks, the Deseret News learned Tuesday morning, just hours before a press conference was scheduled to be held in the Delta Center.
The press conference was to be attended by Jazz owner Larry Miller, Jazz general manager Tim Howells and Layden himself."Scott's out of here," said a source in the Jazz front office. "He's gone. He's negotiated a deal with (Knicks boss David Checketts). At noon they'll announce he's leaving."
Layden, vice president of basketball operations, met with Checketts on Saturday in Salt Lake City and was offered a multi-year contract that reportedly would pay him $1.5 million per year -- nearly four times what he was making with the Jazz. On Monday, Layden met with Miller and Howells as well as Dennis Haslam, president of Larry H. Miller Enterprises. Reportedly, the Jazz officials made a counteroffer, trying to convince Layden to stay with the team.
None of the above would return calls.
For Layden, the Knicks job means a return to his roots. He grew up in upstate New York, attended college in Pennsylvania and took his first coaching job in New Jersey. However, he leaves behind his parents and brother, who all live in Utah. Apparently, the money and the chance to work for a team in the league's biggest market were too much to resist.
Layden has earned a reputation as a shrewd dealer and keen judge of talent during his stay with the Jazz. His name appeared in the New York media on an impressive list of candidates for the job as early as May, when General Manager Ernie Grunfeld was demoted. The other candidates: Jerry West, Phil Jackson, Isaiah Thomas and Mitch Kupchak. Checketts got a close look at Layden's work while working for the Jazz for six years in the 1980s, five of them as team president.
Layden has been with the Jazz since 1981. Checketts joined the Jazz in 1983. It has been reported that Checketts and Miller had an "acrimonious" parting in 1989.
Layden joins a team that is the polar opposite of the one he leaves. The Jazz have probably the most harmonious, efficient organization and team in the business who, Karl Malone notwithstanding, take care of their business quietly. The Knicks are a contentious organization from the office right down to the bench, and they seem to conduct their business in the tabloids. The G.M. was fired and the coach was nearly fired last season after back-room feuding over personnel decisions. The roster includes the likes of Latrell Sprewell, Larry Johnson and Marcus Camby. Layden also will have to manage an annual payroll of $67.6 million -- easily the highest in the league for two straight seasons.
Layden originally joined the Jazz to serve as an assistant coach for his father, Frank, who was just beginning an eight-year run as head coach. Frank is now the team president. The younger Layden eventually became head scout. In 1988 he was named director of player personnel, and in 1996 he was given his current title.
Layden's wheeling and dealing have helped the Jazz to remain among the top teams in the league this decade despite never having a lottery pick in the NBA draft. He is credited with finding and obtaining younger and more talented supporting players -- usual at bargain prices -- for aging stars John Stockton and Karl Malone.
Through trading, drafting and free agent signing, Layden has brought to the Jazz Jeff Hornacek, Shandon Anderson, Greg Ostertag, Greg Foster, Howard Eisley, Adam Keefe, Jacque Vaughn and Antoine Carr. He is also credited with finding and drafting John Stockton, Mark Eaton, Bobby Hansen and Thurl Bailey.