SALT LAKE CITY — A week ago it seemed a foregone conclusion that if the Jazz could stay healthy, they would make the playoffs next year. But don’t get a “Jazz Playoffs 2017” tattoo yet.
Lurking in the deep woods of the upper Midwest lies a growing concern, including one particularly familiar face.
As the Jazz were enjoying local and national media love, the focus shifted on Tuesday when the Minnesota Timberwolves announced the hiring of former Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau. He will serve as coach and team president. That means he gets to choose and move all the chess pieces, similar to Stan Van Gundy in Detroit and Doc Rivers in Los Angeles.
So Minnesota now has a coach who won 50 or more games three times during his five years in Chicago, and never fewer than 45. Meanwhile, the Wolves also announced the hiring of former Jazz general manager Scott Layden, who had been working as assistant G.M. in San Antonio.
Layden is the one that’s no stranger to Utahns. He knows how the Jazz franchise thinks, having been here at the start and helped draft Karl Malone and John Stockton. Later he added Jeff Hornacek. It was an impressive run, including two trips to the Finals.
Layden was also G.M. of the New York Knicks from 1999-2003, though not as successfully. He was fired. The good news: In New York, a firing isn’t a bad thing, just an inevitable one.
He returned to Utah as an assistant coach. But after Dennis Lindsey was named G.M. for the Jazz in 2012, Layden left for San Antonio. Among the moves the Spurs made with him aboard were the signing of the NBA’s first female assistant coach, Becky Hammon, and the re-signing of coach Gregg Popovich, Tony Parker, Patty Mills, Matt Bonner and Manu Ginobili. Additionally, he corroborated on the acquisition of All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge.
Layden was in Salt Lake earlier this month for the Spurs’ visit, greeting former co-workers, friends and media as longtime friends. Next time he comes to town, the reception might be cooler. By then the Timberwolves may have supplanted the Jazz as the Western Conference’s lovable young puppies (Kevin Garnett notwithstanding).
While Thibodeau and Layden present an intriguing leadership combination, it’s Minnesota’s talent that will especially keep Jazz coach Quin Snyder working late. Karl-Anthony Towns is already a star at 20, as is 21-year-old Andrew Wiggins. Zach LaVine, 21, is a YouTube dunking sensation. Shabazz Muhammad, 23, is a 10.5-point scorer.
Seven Timberwolves average double-figure points.
The Jazz have their own promising group, led by a brainy coach who has brought them to this point. Back-to-back drafting of Rodney Hood and Trey Lyles proves Lindsey is no amateur in assessing talent.
The Jazz finished ninth in the standings this season, 11 games ahead of Minnesota. They won three of four games between the teams, but none was a blowout.
The Timberwolves are coming.
But if you expect Layden to project a smug, satisfied vibe, that’s not his style. He wasn’t that way when he went to the Knicks or Spurs and won’t start now. He remains unfailingly modest and even self-deprecating, which raises a question: What the devil was he doing in New York?
If the Minnesota media think they’ll be getting scoops from him, though, that’s another story. He’s as transparent as a spy. When his father Frank was once asked what transactions Scott might be working on, he said, “I don’t know. He doesn’t even tell me.”
The Jazz public relations staff was routinely left in the dark on transactions until they happened.
Layden might serve as a buffer for Thibodeau, who acquired a reputation for feuding with the front office in Chicago. After all, Layden didn’t throttle Latrell Sprewell in New York — though it’s likely there was ample reason. Now he’s working in the same division as the Jazz, with a lot of talent at his disposal. That’s not necessarily cause for the Jazz to worry, but it’s surely cause to watch.
Games next year between these teams should be highly watchable.
Satchel Paige warned not to look back, because someone might be gaining. In this case, the Jazz may want to look, anyway. Seeing someone coming from behind is still better than watching from the back. A playoff spot could be in the balance.
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