Utah Jazz Coach Jerry Sloan Resigns

Per various sources and this report by Salt Lake City's Daily News, Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan is set to resign in a press conference later today. This news is indeed shocking as Sloan just signed a one-year extension to coach the Jazz and is the longest tenured head coach in the NBA. The report also says top assistant Phil Johnson will resign as well. Tyon Corbin will coach the team for the remainder of the season. Here's some of the report:

KSL has learned that Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan and assistant coach Phil Johnson will resign at a press conference later Thursday.

More details will be posted as they become available.

The news comes after the Jazz lost to Chicago in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, where former Jazz players Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer helped the Bulls escape Utah with a 91-86 win.

After the game, Sloan didn't come out of his office for a postgame interview until about a half-hour after his team lost for the 10th time in 14 games.

The Hall of Famer, who usually talks to reporters about 10 minutes after the final buzzer, had been in a discussion with general manager Kevin O'Connor.

The Jazz have not been the same this season after losing Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer to the Bulls in the off season. The possibility of a trade could also be in in discussions, but all signs are pointing to Sloan's resignation. I thought the Jazz were overachieving this season but given their history of success there is always a lot of pressure for them to be among the best teams in the Western Conference. It's been clear that star PG Deron Williams has been unhappy and the Jazz need to do something to keep him on board as he will be a free agent in 2012.

According to this report from Yahoo Sports, Sloan and Williams clashed during halftime of Wednesday night's loss to the Bulls:

Sloan’s relationship with Williams had grown progressively worse over the course of the season, league sources said, and the coach had tired of dealing with the team’s best player. The frustration escalated on Wednesday night when Sloan and Williams clashed in the locker room at halftime.

“He decided right there in halftime that he was done,” a league source told Yahoo! Sports. “He felt like ownership was listening more to Williams than they were to him anymore. He was done.”

Jerry Sloan has a career coaching record of 1190–780 going into the 2009-2010 season and has coached the Jazz for 22 straight seasons.
-ALR

Drama For Deron Williams And All That's Jazz

It's starting to sound like Utah might have a disgruntled Employee #8 on their hands... Per this story in the Salt Lake Tribune Jazz guard Deron Williams, arguably the top PG in the NBA (see here for our take onthe pg debate), is growing frustrated with the inconsistent play of his team this season. Here are some of his comments;

Williams said that a much-changed Jazz squad had a “better mesh of guys” in 2009-10, longing for the days when ex-Utah guards Wesley Matthews and Kyle Korver could command attention and respect from opposing defenses, in turn stretching the floor and balancing out the team’s offensive attack.

And Williams again pointed out the Jazz’s inability to run Sloan’s offense like it needs to be executed, as everything from Utah’s poor floor spacing and timing to the simple inability to set hard screens has prevented his team from “flowing.”

“We’re trying to run half of a system and then half just freelance,” Williams said. “We can’t do that. We’re not the Phoenix Suns. We’re not the New York Knicks. We’re not just coming out here and playing one-on-one. But that’s what’s happening. Things are breaking down and we’re going one-on-one the last five seconds of a shot clock.”

When Williams was asked if he has the ability to ask Sloan for on-the-court changes, his response was layered in sarcasm.

“We’ve been running the same plays for 23 years. Why change now?” Williams said.
He added: “I’m just going to play basketball, man. That’s all I can do.”
Can't say that I fault Williams one bit for his frustrations. During the summer Utah lost Carlos Boozer, Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver to the Bulls while only acquiring Al Jefferson via trade from Minnesota to fill the void. But in that same regard, one thing DW needs to realize that the Jazz may be overachieving as it is. The current roster doesn't have much talent or depth, yet the Jazz are 27-17 and Williams is having a career year. I can understand Deron's competitive approach to the team but in this case reality has to prevail. The Jazz were not supposed to be very good this season.

I think one of two things will  happen in Utah:

1.) DeronWilliams can stick it out in Utah and follow in the footsteps of previous Jazz Hall of Famers John Stockton and Karl Malone. But this is only a good option if the Jazz upgrade the talent to compliment Williams and Paul Milsap/Al Jefferson as they did by adding Jeff Hornacek to the Stockton/Malone combo.

or,

2.) DW8 plays out the remaining year and a half of his current deal without conflict and then explore his options in free agency where he can will generate plenty of interest from legit contenders, where I would almost go as far to guarantee the Lakers and Mavericks will be the top suitors. I'm no psychic, but I see this as the more likely result.

Just remember you heard it first...

-ALR

Video: C.J. Miles Hammers On J.J. Hickson

Damn; the Cavs just can't catch a break. But C.J. caught Hickson pretty bad with that dunk. You know if they call a timeout after a slam, you just became highlight material.

-ALR