Jazz Hire Longtime Celtics Executive to Lead Front Office Role

Austin Ainge is headed to work under his father, Danny.

Danny and Austin Ainge at Summer League. / Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images

In addition to the significant roster changes they are expected to make this offseason, the Boston Celtics will now be forced to make one to their front office as well.

As first reported by ESPN's Shams Charania and Tim Bontemps, the Utah Jazz are hiring Celtics assistant general manager Austin Ainge as their next president of basketball operations. He heads to Salt Lake City where he’ll work under his father, Danny Ainge—the team’s current CEO and former longtime executive in Boston from 2003 to '21.

The Utah Jazz are hiring Boston Celtics assistant general manager Austin Ainge as the franchise's president of basketball operations, sources tell me and @TimBontemps. Ainge has spent the past 14 years working in Boston's front office, including the last six in his current role. pic.twitter.com/OE0hG7R2qa

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 2, 2025

Austin Ainge is also a longtime member of the Celtics' organization, having been hired as the first head coach of the Maine Red Claws—Boston's G-League team—in 2009. He then moved to the front office in '11 as their director of player personnel, and has served as assistant general manager for the last six seasons.

The Jazz are coming off a season in which they went just 17-65 under third-year head coach Will Hardy. They hold the No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft.

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