This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A week before training camp starts for the Utah Jazz, head coach Quin Snyder is making changes to his coaching staff.
In a move announced by the Jazz on Monday evening, Igor Kokoskov has been promoted up the assistant coaching ladder and will sit on the front row during games with fellow assistants Johnnie Bryant and Alex Jensen.
Zach Guthrie and Lamar Skeeter — previously on the player development staff — have been named assistants in a continuation of previous duties. The Jazz also announced their entire staff for the upcoming season: Kokoskov, Jensen, Bryant, Antonio Lang, Jeff Watkinson, Mike Wells, Guthrie and Skeeter.
The major casualty in the reshuffling is Brad Jones, who had been the lead assistant, as he won't be returning to the Jazz this season in a coaching capacity. There is the chance that Jones can stay on in the organization in a different role. But as an assistant, Jones is out.
It could prove to be a big loss for the Jazz. Jones first came to the Jazz in 2001 as a regional scout. In the years since, he was notable for being the original head coach of the Jazz' D-League affiliate Utah Flash. He was one of the last holdovers from the Tyrone Corbin era and had also worked with the San Antonio Spurs, prior to returning to the Jazz in 2012.
Utah starts camp next Tuesday. The Jazz play their preseason opener Oct. 3 against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Tony Jones