The Utah Jazz have signed head coach Will Hardy to a long-term contract extension through the 2030-31 season, the organization announced Monday.
Hardy was hired as the head coach of the Jazz on June 29, 2022. In his three seasons in Utah, the Jazz have compiled an 85-161 record, winning fewer games in each succeeding year as the franchise has committed to a full rebuild. This past season Utah won just 17 games, worst in the NBA.
It’s a strong show of confidence for a coach who has had little success on the court. Hardy was the first coach hired by owner Ryan Smith, co-founder of cloud computing company Qualtrics. Smith trumpeted the Hardy extension in a post on X, formerly Twitter:
We are excited to extend Will Hardy’s contract as head coach of the Jazz through 2031. Will is a great leader, communicator, and ambassador for our org, and is a tremendous partner to [Jazz CEO of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge], [Jazz general manager Justin Zanik], and me. Our goal is to hang a banner, and Will is a huge part of this journey.
Utah will have have two first-round picks this summer: their own high-projected lottery pick plus Minnesota’s first-round pick. They can also look forward to their own first-round picks through 2031 as well as extra first-rounders in 2027 and 2031.
In spite of his coaching record, the extension is being received favorably by many in Utah. Calvin Barrett from our friends at SLC Dunk wrote the following:
Hardy is an often overlooked aspect of the seismic shift in the landscape of the Utah Jazz organization back in 2022. In the wake of the Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell exchanges, Utah likewise overhauled its coaching staff by drawing in a young coach who many considered the heir apparent of the heir apparent of the Celtics’ throne.
Though he has yet to reach the playoffs with his young Jazz team, it’s clear that Hardy’s regimen, combined with an affable personality, has stretched his young Jazz roster well beyond their expected win totals — almost to the detriment of a team hoping to build a championship contender through the draft.
All eyes in Utah will now be on the NBA Draft lottery. If the ping pong balls are kind, the Jazz could well be poised to start making improvements in their win totals as soon as next season.