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There’s going to be some coaching changes for the Utah Jazz in the 2023-24 season.
Don’t worry, Will Hardy isn’t leaving. But the Jazz’s longest-tenured assistant coach, Alex Jensen, as well as assistant Irv Roland will not be returning to the bench under Hardy next year. The Athletic was the first to report the news and the Deseret News confirmed it with team sources.
This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Although Jensen has been on staff through three Jazz coaches — Ty Corbin, Quin Snyder and Hardy — and Roland was inherited from Snyder’s staff, it’s understandable and normal for a coach to want to hire their own staff or make substantial changes.
Actually, most of the Jazz’s coaching staff last season were holdovers from Snyder’s regime. In addition to Jensen and Roland, Lamar Skeeter, Bryan Bailey and player development coaches Chris Jones and Sanjay Lumpkin, who all worked with Snyder, remained on staff with Hardy.
Prior to last season the Jazz also added Jason Terry to the coaching staff and Hardy brought on Evan Bradds from the Boston Celtics and Sean Sheldon from the San Antonio Spurs.
Hardy has praised the Jazz coaching staff many times over the last year and never had anything negative to say about his experience with any of them. Though after the Jazz’s season was over, he did insinuate that there could be some change coming.
“This is a league of change,” he said. “There’s always times where people get jobs or call about people that are on your staff. We never want to hold people back from great opportunities for them and their family.”
New with the Jazz
How to pass the time in the offseason
Every year during the offseason I do spring cleaning, though because I’m usually still covering a team in the playoffs, it’s actually summer cleaning.
This week, as I was going through my clothes and putting together donation bags of things I haven’t worn all year and scanning my bookshelves for books that I’m finally ready to part with, I realized that I was actually doing my spring cleaning in the spring.
Then, because I am easily distracted from a task and love a reason to research a topic, I wondered where the phrase “spring cleaning” originated. So this week, not only do you get a friendly reminder that it’s time to declutter and donate to those in need, but you also get an etymology lesson!
The origins of spring cleaning can be traced back more than 3,000 years and it’s believed that it comes from the Iranian Nowruz, also known as the Persian New Year. The practice of khaneh tekani — which translates to “shaking the house” — includes sweeping up dust and removing clutter in the belief that it would prevent ill-fortune in the upcoming year.
Neat!
This week on ‘Unsalvageable’
Check out “Unsalvageable,” hosted by Deseret News Utah Jazz beat reporter Sarah Todd and lifelong Jazz fan Greg Foster (no, not that Greg Foster).
This week the crew recaps the latest playoff news and happenings and then opens up the mailbag to answer listener questions. From free agency and the coaching bench to Kris Dunn’s ceiling and wholesome content, they cover it all!
New episodes come out every week. You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and anywhere else you stream podcasts.
Stat of the week
Utah Jazz rookie Walker Kessler finished third in NBA Rookie of the Year award voting behind winner Paolo Banchero of the Orlando Magic and runner-up Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Kessler received two first-place votes, 17 second-place votes and 53 third-pace votes. Banchero received 98 out of 100 first-place votes.
From the archives
Extra points
- Grading the Jazz: Juan Toscano-Anderson and Udoka Azubuike (Deseret News)
- Ryan Smith says bringing the NHL to Utah is ‘in motion’ (Deseret News)
- Former Jazzman Dante Exum body slammed during EuroLeague brawl (Deseret News)
- Dwyane Wade says he left Florida because of anti-LGBTQ policies (Salt Lake Tribune)
Around the league
Boston Celtics eliminate Quin Snyder’s Atlanta Hawks from the playoffs.
Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat oust No. 1 seed Milwaukee Bucks in first round.
Sixers still unsure of Joel Embiid’s status for Game 1 of semifinal round against Celtics.
Up next
May 16 | 6:30 p.m. | NBA draft lottery | ESPN
Full NBA playoffs schedule here.
