SALT LAKE CITY (AP) 鈥� The Utah Jazz picked up the fifth-year option on coach Will Hardy鈥檚 contract on Friday.
Hardy originally signed a four-year deal with the Jazz in 2022 that included a team option for a fifth season. The move will keep the 36-year-old coach with Utah through the 2026-27 season. Entering his third season with the Jazz, Hardy has a 68-96 record with no postseason appearances.
鈥淲e love Will,鈥� Jazz CEO Danny Ainge said. 鈥淲e love the direction he is (going). We love the teammate he is. He鈥檚 really excited this year to have a chance to develop these young players. We鈥檙e excited he鈥檚 a part of us.鈥�
Utah traded away all-stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell before Hardy coached his first game. The team has undertaken an extensive rebuilding process during his tenure.
Hardy figures to be an important part of that process. The move to secure him for an additional season comes on the heels of restructuring and extending all-star forward Lauri Markkanen鈥檚 contract a month earlier. Markkanen agreed to a $238 million deal over five seasons in August to stay in Utah.
Before coming to the Jazz, Hardy had stops as an assistant coach in Boston and San Antonio. He is the second youngest head coach in the NBA.
Hardy鈥檚 acumen at player development made picking up the option an easy decision for the front office, Ainge said.
鈥淗e does a great job of communicating with the players, building relationships one-on-one,鈥� Ainge said. 鈥淲ill loves to learn. He鈥檚 had some great mentors he鈥檚 worked with in the past. He鈥檚 watching what other teams are doing. The communication is what separates him.鈥�
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AP NBA:
John Coon, The Associated Press
