The Utah Jazz have employed Austin Ainge away from the Boston Celtics because the staff’s president of basketball operations, it was introduced Monday.
Utah’s present normal supervisor, Justin Zanik, will stay in his position after Ainge’s arrival, sources instructed ESPN, and the 2 will work collectively shifting ahead.
“We’re completely thrilled to welcome Austin Ainge as our new president of basketball operations,” staff governor Ryan Smith mentioned in an announcement. “Austin is likely one of the brightest minds within the NBA — his 17 years with the Celtics have given him unbelievable perception into each a part of a company.
“… I’ve watched him develop into an completed, modern and strategic basketball government who’s prepared to steer this group.”
It is the second massive transfer Utah has made off the court docket previously a number of weeks, after the Jazz locked up coach Will Hardy to a long-term contract extension final month that runs by way of 2031.
Ainge, 43, has been with the Celtics since 2009, when he was employed to be the coach of their G League affiliate. Two years later, he moved right into a entrance workplace position and has remained with Boston for the previous 14 seasons, together with the previous six as an assistant normal supervisor.
“That is an unbelievable alternative,” Ainge mentioned in an announcement. “I could not be extra excited in regards to the shiny way forward for this group. … I’ve lived this my entire life, consistently learning groups, expertise, chemistry and the selflessness essential to win. I sit up for bringing that to Utah and am excited to present Jazz followers quite a bit to cheer about as we construct our program again up.”
Ainge labored underneath his father, Danny, for over a decade in Boston, and can now reunite with him in Utah after the latter — who left the Celtics in the summertime of 2021 — was employed by Jazz proprietor Ryan Smith as chief government officer in addition to taking up the position of alternate governor in December of that yr.
Over the previous 14 years, Austin Ainge has been a part of a Celtics entrance workplace that has constantly been hailed as among the many league’s greatest. Along with successful the 2024 NBA title, the Celtics have made the playoffs in 17 of the final 18 seasons and have gained at the very least one playoff collection in eight of the final 9 years.
Ainge, nonetheless, can be inheriting a Jazz roster that is in a a lot completely different place. Whereas Utah does have All-Star ahead Lauri Markkanen underneath contract for the subsequent 4 years, the Jazz gained 17 video games this previous season — their lowest win whole in franchise historical past — and completed with the NBA’s worst report within the hopes of getting some lottery luck and touchdown Cooper Flagg with the highest choose in subsequent month’s NBA draft.
As a substitute, the Jazz fell all method right down to the fifth choose within the draft after failing to get any of the 4 drawn picks in final month’s draft lottery. Utah additionally has the twenty first general choose as a part of the Rudy Gobert commerce with the Minnesota Timberwolves, in addition to a pair of second-round picks.
Utah’s roster consists of six latest first-round picks by the Jazz, and eight gamers underneath the age of 23.
“Austin is skilled, forward-thinking and laser-focused on constructing a championship-caliber program,” Smith mentioned. “… Hiring Austin could not be coming at a greater time as we construct up as a company in the direction of our final purpose of championship-level basketball.”