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Utah Jazz: 5 takeaways from 2017-18 NBA season

By Josh Cornelissen

Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images
Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images /
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Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images
Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images /

2. Quin Snyder is a keeper

When the Utah Jazz hired Quin Snyder in 2014, for many followers of the league he was a general NBA unknown. Some remembered Snyder from his time in the college coaching ranks, leading the Missouri Tigers to an Elite Eight before scandal led to his resignation. Those with longer memories watched him play in three Final Fours as a point guard with Duke.

But in the NBA, Snyder was a mystery, a coach who had bounced from the D League to video rooms to the head coach of the Utah Jazz. What the Jazz have received for taking a chance on Snyder — a 177-151 record, two consecutive postseason appearances, a 2-2 series record — has been well worth the risk taken.

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    • Snyder is beloved by his players for how he works to connect with them and stoke into fire of their talent. For Rudy Gobert, he designs a defensive scheme to funnel players into Gobert’s comfort zone.

    For Joe Ingles it was a roster spot, then playing time, and always a green light. For Donovan Mitchell it has been the ball itself, allowing the rookie the room to be the top offensive option on a winning team.

    Schematically, Snyder might be right there with the likes of Brad Stevens and Rick Carlisle, and his ability to reach players is elite as well. What he lacks for in experience, he makes up for in passion.

    The Jazz have complete faith in their coach top to bottom, and he has responded with success. Many coaches faced with the departure of an All-Star and the long-term injury of their other elite player may have mailed in the season. Tanking is en vogue after all. Instead the Jazz fought, Snyder kept them afloat, and they found themselves in the second round.

    Coaching is one of the league’s best advantages, as coaches are outside of the salary cap and difficult to evaluate. In Snyder, the Jazz have their guy.

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