Heat grants Jazz permission to interview longtime assistant Chris Quinn for head coaching job
The Utah Jazz is interested in a coach on the Miami Heat’s staff.
The Heat has granted the Jazz permission to interview longtime Heat assistant coach Chris Quinn for the franchise’s head coaching job, a league source confirmed Thursday to the Miami Herald. ESPN reported Wednesday that the Jazz requested permission to speak to Quinn for the opening.
The Heat has regularly granted such permission over the years, recently doing so for Juwan Howard on his way to becoming the University of Michigan’s head coach and for Dan Craig to eventually become a Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach.
The Jazz is searching for a new head coach to replace Quin Snyder, who resigned just days ago after eight seasons in the position.
According to ESPN, the Jazz also requested permission to interview New York Knicks associate head coach Johnnie Bryant, Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Charles Lee, Boston Celtics assistant coaches Will Hardy and Joe Mazzulla and former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts for the opening. Utah is also planning to interview Jazz assistant coach Alex Jensen, among others.
Quinn, 38, just completed his eighth season as a Heat assistant coach. He’s the longest tenured assistant on Erik Spoelstra’s coaching staff and has played a major role in the Heat’s highly regarded player development program.
Quinn filled in as the Heat’s head coach in the three games that Spoelstra missed this season — one because his son underwent a medical procedure and two because of COVID-19 protocols. The Heat posted a 2-1 record in those games.
“I thought Quinny and the staff just did an outstanding job,” Spoelstra said in April following a two-game stretch that Quinn filled in for him. “It just shows you how much responsibilities he’s taken on in the last couple years. He was really able to step into that seamlessly. But for us, that wasn’t a surprise. He’s handled so many of these kind of associate head coaching duties for the last couple years behind the scenes. Film sessions, meetings, practices, things of that nature and the staff has really stepped up, as well. I think everything was seamless and a couple big time wins.”
This past season, Heat captain Udonis Haslem said Quinn’s “voice resonates just as much as Spo’s voice. When you listen to Quinny, you’re hearing Spo. It’s the same message. If anybody has an opportunity to step into the next level sooner than later, it would be Quinny. He has the knowledge, the experience, the relationship with the players. He has every base covered when you talk about checking the boxes to have the ability to be a successful head coach.”
Quinn also played for the Heat, as the six-year NBA guard was originally signed by Miami as a free agent in the 2006 offseason. He appeared in 168 games (26 starts) with the Heat over three-plus seasons from 2006-10 and played for both Pat Riley and Spoelstra.
Quinn is one of many coaches being considered for the Utah job. If Quinn is hired to fill the opening, he would reunite with retired Heat legend Dwyane Wade, who purchased an ownership stake in the Jazz last year.
Danny Ainge, who became a Heat foe during his time as Boston Celtics president, is currently the CEO of basketball operations for the Jazz.
This story was originally published June 9, 2022 at 1:16 PM.
