As reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Quin Snyder has stepped down as the coach of the Utah Jazz. He spent eight years with the team, making the playoffs in six of them.
It was a solid run, as the Jazz were consistently one of the most dominant regular-season teams under Snyder. They were just unable to get things done in the postseason.
Snyder leaves a discombobulated Jazz team in his wake, as it has been reported that Donovan Mitchell is “unsettled, unnerved and wondering what it means for the franchise’s future.”
This is what Quin Snyder leaving means for the Utah Jazz
While it was beginning to look like the Jazz could run it back one more year, both of these reports lead to one, very simple conclusion: It is time to break up this Utah core.
Now, there are a few pathways that the Jazz could take.
1. They could trade Mitchell.
2. They could trade Rudy Gobert.
3. They could trade both.
The second of the three options has become the one most people expect to be most realistic, but if the Jazz want to do things correctly, that should be their last option.
Trading Mitchell should be a no-brainer at this point. Not only does it seem like he doesn’t want to be there, but he’s the player who will yield the best return on the trade market.
Gobert very clearly wants to be in Utah. Why would the Jazz keep a player that’s hesitant about being there over one that has expressed his desire to stay? Especially considering that the former would get them better value.
However, while Utah should prioritize keeping Gobret over Mitchell, the best option for them would be to trade both. With Snyder gone, this is the perfect time for them to begin a rebuild.
By trading both Mitchell and Gobert, the Jazz could get some solid draft capital and begin a very successful, and probably fairly quick rebuild.
Jazz fans may not like it, but the harsh reality is that their current core just isn’t good enough to win a title, especially with Snyder gone. It’s time to break it up.