Erdem Can

Jazz Notes: Quinn, Griffin, Young, Gobert, Can, More

The Jazz have requested permission to interview three more assistant coaches from around the NBA as they seek a replacement for Quin Snyder, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter links). According to Wojnarowski, the team is also planning to meet with Heat assistant Chris Quinn, Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin, and Suns assistant Kevin Young.

Griffin and Young were previously identified by The Athletic as head coaching candidates on Utah’s preliminary list, but this is the first time we’ve heard Quinn linked to the club. Quinn, Griffin, and Young will join eight other candidates who are reportedly expected to interview with the Jazz, bringing the total count to 11 — and that number could continue to grow.

The full list of Utah’s reported candidates can be found at our head coaching search tracker.

Here’s more on the Jazz:

  • Based on his conversations with people around the NBA, Ian Begley of SNY.tv (video link) gets the sense that Snyder’s exit from Utah will impact Rudy Gobert‘s future with the Jazz more than Donovan Mitchell‘s, making it more likely that Gobert is moved. Multiple recent reports have suggested that the Jazz are open to discussing Gobert, but have shut down trade inquiries on Mitchell.
  • In a story for SNY.tv, Begley stresses that the support for Knicks assistant Johnnie Bryant within the Jazz organization goes beyond Mitchell. Bryant, a candidate for Utah’s head coaching job, is known to be close with Mitchell, but built plenty of other strong relationships during his time as a Jazz assistant from 2014-20.
  • Jazz assistant Erdem Can has reached an agreement to join Turkish club Türk Telekom, according to a report from Ugur Ozan Sulak of Socrates (Twitter link). Can was an assistant with Fenerbahçe from 2012-21 before joining Snyder’s staff for the ’21/22 season. He reportedly received a two-year deal from Türk Telekom, with an NBA out after year one.
  • Koby McEwen (Weber State), Noah Kirkwood (Harvard), Au’Diese Toney (Arkansas), and Amadou Sow (UC-Santa Barbara) are among the prospects who participated in a pre-draft workout with the Jazz on Tuesday, tweets Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. As previously reported, Illinois’ Kofi Cockburn and BYU’s Alex Barcello also took part in that session.

Western Notes: Popovich, Landale, Can, Beckett

Gregg Popovich may not seem the type of coach who is interested in records, but he wants to become the NBA’s all-time winningest coach more than many people would suspect, according to Marc Stein of Substack (subscription required). The Spurs’ longtime coach is 26 wins shy of passing Don Nelson for the most regular-season coaching victories. The fact that they are close friends adds to the appeal. Prior to becoming a head coach, Popovich spent two seasons in Golden State as Nelson’s top assistant.

We have more from the Western Conference:

  •  Jock Landale’s two-year contract with the Spurs is a minimum-salary deal, Keith Smith of Spotrac tweets. The first year is fully guaranteed, while the second year is non-guaranteed. The Australian big man was the NBL Grand Final MVP last season.
  • The Jazz have added Erdem Can to their coaching staff, according to a team press release. Can joins Quin Snyder‘s staff after serving as an assistant coach for Fenerbahce in the Turkish first division from 2012-21.  He has also assisted the Jazz’s summer league coaching staff five times in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas.
  • Assistant coach John Beckett is signing a new contract with the Nuggets, Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets. Beckett was under consideration to join Wes Unseld Jr.‘s staff with the Wizards. Beckett and Unseld worked together under Michael Malone last season.