Jazz CEO Danny Ainge: 'We desperately wanted [Quin Snyder] to stay' as coach

The Utah Jazz are hunting for a new head coach. CEO Danny Ainge made it clear Monday that the team hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Quin Snyder stepped down Sunday after eight seasons as the Jazz head coach, despite the team's efforts to keep him. Snyder told reporters that he "felt like it was time," but the decision came a week after a report that "philosophical issues" were causing an impasse in contract negotiations.

"We have spent the last few weeks talking, Quin and I, a lot about a lot of different things, and I think it's pretty clear, we desperately wanted him to stay," Ainge said Monday, via ESPN. "At the same time, I've walked away from coaching and I walked away from being a general manager after 18 years in Boston, and so I trust that Quin knows more what's best for him and his family, much more than we do."

Snyder, 55, led the Jazz to six consecutive trips to the playoffs, but the team failed to advance past the Western Conference semifinals during his tenure. During the 2020-21 season, Utah finished with the best record in the Western Conference at 52-20 before losing in the playoffs to the Los Angeles Clippers in six games.

Last season, the Jazz finished fifth in the Western Conference and lost in the first round against the Dallas Mavericks.

Ainge, 63, led the Boston Celtics to an NBA title in 2008 when he served as the team's executive director. In December 2021, Ainge joined the Jazz as CEO of basketball operations.