The first major move of the NBA offseason for the Utah Jazz has occurred, as head coach Quin Snyder has stepped down from his position.
It is a move that has been speculated by some people for a while now, as Snyder was linked to the Los Angeles Lakers opening, which has since been filled by Darvin Ham. He is also heavily linked to the San Antonio Spurs as the eventual replacement for Gregg Popovich.
As for the Jazz, the early frontrunner to replace Snyder is former assistant coach, Johnnie Bryant. Bryant has a great relationship with Donovan Mitchell from his time with Utah before taking an assistant coaching job with the New York Knicks.
All of this points to the rumors of a power struggle between Mitchell and his NBA All-Star teammate, Rudy Gobert, being resolved via trade and that it will be Gobert on the move. Matt Moore of Action Network shared some updates on what is going on in Utah, including what seems like the inevitable break up of the All-Star duo.
“New Jazz owner Ryan Smith is said to be extremely dedicated to keeping and building around Mitchell. Which, of course, is going to mean moving Rudy Gobert as it’s become apparent that relationship is untenable on-court and off-court.”
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Utah Jazz Star Donovan Mitchell Expected To Request Trade In Future
This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. While Gobert seems to be the one more willing to remain in Salt Lake City for the entirety of his career, Mitchell is closer to what teams are looking for as a player to build around in today’s NBA.
The market for Rudy Gobert should be robust and the Chicago Bulls were mentioned as a possible landing spot in recent NBA trade rumors. They could be looking to shake things up this offseason as well, especially if they are unable to re-sign Zach LaVine.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Utah Jazz Star Donovan Mitchell Expected To Request Trade In Future
The Charlotte Hornets are another team that desperately needs an upgrade in the middle that Rudy Gobert would address. The Golden State would make an interesting landing spot, while the Dallas Mavericks will also be on the lookout for help at the center position this offseason.
