The NBA’s second youngest bench boss, Will Hardy, has had his fourth year exercised on his contract by the Utah Jazz. The move speaks volumes about how the organization feels about Hardy leading the team, which is currently in rebuild mode.
The Utah Jazz have exercised the fifth-year option on head coach Will Hardy, the team announced. He’s entering his third season with the franchise.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) September 27, 2024
Jazz Show Faith in Will Hardy as Head Coach of the Future With Recent Decision
Will Hardy’s Fourth Year Green Lit by the Jazz
The Utah Jazz have exercised Will Hardy’s four-year contract. The league’s second-youngest coach is entering his third season as head coach. Hardy is just 36 years old; only Joe Mazzulla, the Boston Celtics head coach, is younger.
Hardy took over coaching duties in Utah during the 2022 offseason. Since then, the Jazz have accumulated a 68-96 overall record. While a below .500 record looks unconvincing on paper, the overall impact and coaching that Hardy has brought to the organization has been solid. The Jazz were a perennial playoff team under now Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder, with Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert leading on the floor. Under Snyder, the Jazz made the postseason for six consecutive seasons from 2016-2022.
Unfortunately, with Hardy at the helm, Utah has yet to see a playoff berth. However, that is not a hit on Hardy. The Jazz have undertaken a complete roster overhaul since his hiring, which has played a factor. Still, Utah’s front office has faith in Hardy as their future coach.
Jazz Management Speaks
The decision to extend Hardy came down to where management sees the franchise heading and who they want to lead them. Jazz GM Justin Zanik released a statement on the matter.
“Will [Hardy] has done a great job of guiding our program and instilling the right values and competitive habits in our young group. The organization looks forward to developing with Will as we strive for long-term success through strategic and deliberate growth.”
Zanik isn’t alone in his outlook on Hardy, either. Jazz owner Ryan Smith expressed his own confidence in the young coach earlier in the year while guest appearing on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show.
“Will’s got it, he’s a star, and you just felt something in there [the interview] where were gonna go do this…”
Hardy’s age clearly didn’t deter Smith, Zanik, and Danny Ainge. It was also not the first time Ainge had taken a chance on a young, first-time head coach. He hired Brad Stevens in Boston at just 36 years old out of the NCAA college program Butler. While Stevens never won a championship as the Celtics head coach, his teams were perennial playoff teams, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals three times in his tenure.
How Far Will Utah Go Under Hardy?
The Jazz are still trying to build their roster to reach a competitive and contending level. Acquiring Lauri Markkanen in 2022, the same summer Hardy was hired, was a solid move, and the Jazz have more work to do to build around the All-Star forward. Jordan Clarkson, the only holdout from the Snyder era, is still a quality player and a pure scorer. John Collins is entering his second season in Utah. These players a mixed in with younger talent including Keyonte George, Walker Kessler, Cody Williams, and Taylor Hendricks. We’re about to discover what this year’s Utah Jazz team will look like. Regardless, the organization appears to have its coach of the future in place.
