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Former Rockets assistant Dean Cooper has been hired to coach the Jazz's D-League affiliate in Boise.Cooper has spent the last two years in Houston on Kevin McHale's bench. But he crossed paths with Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey earlier in his career; he was hired by the Rockets in 1999 as a video coordinator and worked his way up to an assistant under Rudy Tomjanovich, before moving to the front office.In Boise, Cooper will the man responsible for developing talent for the Jazz."Having coached in the D-League for three seasons, I learned what an extension your affiliate is of your NBA program," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said in a press release. "Dean has a proven history of player development which is an integral aspect of my coaching philosophy. As an extension of our staff, he will work hand-in-hand with us to establish a clear, seamless connection to ensure we are stressing the same principles in Utah and Idaho."Lindsey called Snyder's job a "critical component" of building an NBA team."Dean's addition is another step in the continued expansion of our basketball operations, and his experience and teaching ability will be a tremendous asset to both the Idaho Stampede and Utah Jazz."In a press release, Cooper said, "The Utah Jazz and Idaho Stampede are both model organizations with winning traditions and passionate fans. I am looking forward to working with Coach Snyder as we develop a unified approach to player development while continuing to put a team on the floor that will compete every night and make the Boise community proud."— Aaron Falk