The Utah Jazz and Will Hardy are finalizing a deal to become the next head coach of the team, a person familiar with negotiations confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.
The person requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly until the deal is official. The Jazz are also hiring former NBA coach David Fizdale as an assistant general manager, the person said.
Hardy is Utah’s first major hire since Danny Ainge, the former Boston Celtics player and front office executive, became the franchise’s CEO in December.
Hardy, 34, was an assistant coach with Boston last season, hired from the San Antonio Spurs by first-year Celtics coach Ime Udoka.
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He would become the youngest active coach in the league and another hire from the Gregg Popovich coaching tree. Recently departed Jazz coach Quin Snyder also came from the Spurs’ staff, as did Udoka.
Hardy spent 11 seasons with San Antonio — first as an intern, then assistant video coordinator, then lead video coordinator and finally as an assistant coach.
Fizdale was an assistant with the Miami Heat where he coached Dwyane Wade, now a partial owner of the Jazz. Fizdale was also the head coach for the Memphis Grizzlies and New York Knicks for short stints.
The Jazz were 49-33 last season and lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs.
Follow Jeff Zillgitt on Twitter @JeffZillgitt.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Utah Jazz hiring Will Hardy as head coach, youngest in the NBA
