Following the sudden resignation of Quin Snyder as the coach of the Jazz on Sunday afternoon, Utah star guard Donovan Mitchell is described to be “unsettled, unnerved and wondering what it means for the franchise’s future,” according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Mitchell, who has spent the entirety of his five-year career with the Jazz, was left “surprised and disappointed,” by Snyder’s departure, according to Wojnarowski. The No. 13 pick in the 2017 draft reportedly considered the franchise’s coach a significant reason for agreeing to a five-year maximum contract extension in 2020.
Mitchell doesn’t harbor any ill will toward Snyder and has accepted his reasons for stepping down, per Wojnarowski. However, he is “still trying to process what the coach’s loss means in the larger scope for the organization and himself.”
In a release obtained by Sports Illustrated’s Howard Beck, Jazz owner Ryan Smith confirmed the news of Snyder’s resignation on Sunday afternoon. The 55-year-old posted a 372–264 record in his eight seasons with Utah.
“Quin Snyder has embodied what Jazz basketball is for the last eight years,“ Smith said in a statement. “The tireless work ethic and attention to detail Quin displayed each day is a testament to the professional he is. I have nothing but admiration for Quin and respect his decision.
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“On behalf of Ashley and I along with our ownership group and our entire organization, we thank Quin and Amy from the bottom of our hearts for all of their contributions to the state of Utah and the Jazz and wish them nothing but the best.”
Mitchell, a three-time All-Star, is fresh off another strong regular season that saw him average 25.9 points and 5.3 assists per game. According to ESPN Stats and Information, he became the first guard since Allen Iverson to average 20 points in each of his first five seasons.
Despite Mitchell’s individual output, the Jazz have struggled to get over the hump in the Western Conference. Utah has reached the conference semifinals twice in the past five years, but were eliminated in the first-round of the playoffs in each of the past two seasons.
Mitchell has four years, $135 million left on his contract, which includes a player option in the final season of the deal.
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