Report: Lakers Have 'Serious' Interest in Prying Quin Snyder Away from Jazz
The NBA playoffs rage on — albeit without the Utah Jazz. After the Dallas Mavericks unceremoniously ended Utah's 2021-22 season with a road win in Game 6 of the first-round Western Conference playoffs, the rumor mill is hotly cranking out morsels of salacious buzz and conjecture.
As if the speculation on the future of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert in Utah weren't enough, head coach Quin Snyder has become the focus of new rumors. The latest?
According to Marc Stein of Substack, the Los Angeles Lakers have a more-than-passing interest in the Jazz's head coach and his future availability.
"The Lakers' interest in Snyder as a successor to Frank Vogel is serious, sources say. There is nonetheless ongoing skepticism in coaching circles that Snyder would want to move from Utah — where he has enjoyed a considerable amount of control and influence — to take over the LeBron James-led Lakers in their current state after the never-ending chaos that engulfed Vogel's last two seasons."
Stein also reported about a month back that Snyder has had opportunities to extend his contract beyond its current expiration date but hasn't done so.
Snyder, a former Lakers assistant, has become a coveted name in NBA coaching circles because of how he's led the Jazz since arriving in 2015. He's only got two losing seasons on his resume and has led the Jazz to the playoffs in each of the past six seasons.
Jazz fans might find themselves dissatisfied with Snyder's postseason track record (owning a 21-30 playoff record) but he's very likely a case of 'don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.' The Jazz won an NBA-best 52 regular-season games a year ago and followed that up with a 49-win campaign.
Both seasons ultimately ended in disappointment, far off from the ultimate prize of hoisting the Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy. But without Snyder, even if the Jazz fend off the rumor-lords and hold onto Mitchell and Gobert, this team takes a significant step backward in the Western Conference.
Snyder is reportedly under contract through the 2022-23 season with a coach's option for the following year. But stranger things have happened throughout NBA annals.
Is this all smoke and no fire? Only time can tell. But with Snyder set to meet with media soon, he'd be wise to put the kybosh on these rumors and provide clarity on his commitment to the Jazz before certain players start getting the wrong idea.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen.
