Yahoo Sports Jazz EVP Dennis Lindsey moves to advisory role after early playoff exit; will Danny Ainge join staff?
The Utah Jazz front office is getting a makeover after a disappointing second-round playoff exit to the Los Angeles Clippers.
And Danny Ainge is reportedly "in play" for a role.
EVP Dennis Lindsey moving to advisory role
The team announced on Sunday that executive vice president of basketball operations Dennis Lindsey will move into an advisory role to the Jazz under team owner Ryan Smith. Lindsey spent seven seasons as Utah's general manager before his promotion to EVP in 2019. He was hired by previous Jazz owners Larry and Gail Miller. Smith bought the franchise in 2020.
“Dennis Lindsey has had an incredible impact on the organization, and we are grateful for his dedication to the Utah Jazz,” Smith said in a statement. “We look forward to his contributions as an advisor to the Jazz and to Justin Zanik’s ongoing leadership as general manager.”
Zanik replaced Lindsey as general manager in 2019 and will continue to oversee day-to-day basketball operations in the same role.
Lindsey, 52, oversaw transactions critical to Utah's rise as a Western Conference power, including the hiring of head coach Quin Snyder and the acquisitions of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell.
"In recent years, I have had conversations with the Miller family and then Ryan Smith when he came on board about moving into an advisory role," Lindsey said in a statement. "This is an appropriate time to make the transition with the organization on such solid footing."
Will Danny Ainge join Jazz front office?
Meanwhile, The Athletic's Tony Jones reports Ainge is "in play" for a front-office role in Utah after he stepped down as Boston Celtics executive director of basketball operations. Zanik will maintain control of basketball operations if Ainge is hired, according to the report.
Ainge played college basketball at BYU and is a member of the Salt Lake City-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He resigned from his role with the Celtics earlier in June after 18 years on the job.
More from Yahoo Sports:
