History of Utah Jazz in Timeline

The Utah Jazz are a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, competing in the NBA's Western Conference, Northwest Division. Originally founded as the New Orleans Jazz in 1974, paying homage to the city's jazz music history, the team relocated to Salt Lake City in 1979. Since the 1991-92 season, their home games have been played at the Delta Center, shared with the Utah Hockey Club of the NHL.

1970: Utah Stars Move to Salt Lake City

In 1970, the Utah Stars of the American Basketball Association (ABA) moved to Salt Lake City.

June 7, 1974: New Orleans Jazz admitted to NBA

On June 7, 1974, the New Orleans Jazz were admitted as an expansion franchise into the National Basketball Association (NBA).

December 1975: Utah Stars Fold

In December 1975, 16 games into the 1975-76 season, the Utah Stars of the American Basketball Association (ABA) were shut down by the league after missing payroll.

1976: Utah Stars Financial Deterioration

By 1976, the Utah Stars' financial situation deteriorated, leading to the team being shut down.

June 8, 1979: Jazz relocate to Salt Lake City

On June 8, 1979, the New Orleans Jazz relocated to Salt Lake City, Utah.

June 1979: Attendance declines after move

In June 1979, the Jazz's attendance declined slightly after the team's move from New Orleans to Utah, partly because of a late approval for the move.

1979: Jazz Decide to Keep Their Name

In 1979, although Salt Lake City was not known for its jazz culture, the team decided to keep the name, as there was not enough time before the start of the 1979-80 season to receive league approval for a name change.

1981: Tom Nissalke departs as coach

In 1981, Tom Nissalke departed as coach after the Jazz started the 1981–82 season 8–12, and general manager Frank Layden replaced him.

1983: Team Improves and Wins Division

In 1983, despite financial struggles leading to considering relocation, the Jazz improved on the court and won the Midwest Division with a 45-37 record.

1984: Mark Eaton Wins Defensive Player of the Year

During the 1984-85 season, Mark Eaton averaged 5.6 blocks per game, still an NBA single-season record, and won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.

1984: John Stockton Drafted

In 1984, Jazz fans were unhappy when the team picked an unknown guard in the first round of the NBA draft, John Stockton.

1984: First Playoff Appearance

In 1984, the Jazz qualified for their first playoff appearance after 10 seasons since the team's establishment.

1984: First Jazz coach to coach All-Stars since 1984

On February 17, 2021, head coach Quin Snyder was announced as the head coach of the Western Conference team for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, becoming the first Jazz coach so honored since Frank Layden in 1984.

April 1985: Larry H. Miller Buys Part of the Team

In April 1985, auto dealer Larry H. Miller bought 50 percent of the Utah Jazz from Sam Battistone for $8 million, stabilizing the team's financial situation.

1985: Karl Malone drafted by the Jazz

In 1985, the team added Louisiana Tech forward Karl Malone, who made an immediate impact in the 1985–86 season, averaging 14.9 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.

1985: Darrell Griffith missed season due to injuries

In the 1985-86 season, Darrell Griffith was injured and missed the season.

1986: Miller buys remaining share of the team

During the 1986 offseason, Larry Miller stepped in at the last minute, purchasing Battistone's remaining 50 percent for $14 million and keeping the team in Utah.

1986: Adrian Dantley Traded

In 1986, Adrian Dantley, the team's star player, was traded to Detroit for Kelly Tripucka.

1987: Stockton Becomes Starting Point Guard

For the 1987–88 season, John Stockton took over for Rickey Green as the starting point guard, and Karl Malone established himself as one of the better power forwards in the league.

1988: Layden Steps Down; Sloan Takes Over

During the 1988–89 season, Frank Layden stepped down as head coach of the Jazz after the first 17 games, and was replaced by Jerry Sloan.

1988: Jerry Sloan takes over coaching duties

In 1988, Jerry Sloan became the coach for the Jazz, taking over from Frank Layden.

1989: Jazz win Midwest Division Championship

In 1989-90, The Jazz went 55-27 and won the Midwest Division championship for the first time since 1989.

1989: Jazz Finish with 55-27 Record

In 1989-90, the Jazz finished 55–27, the best win–loss mark in team history at that time, with Malone and Stockton leading the team.

1989: Second Time Three Jazz Players Selected as All-Stars

On March 5, 2021, Mike Conley was selected as an All-Star reserve for the first time in his career. This marked the second time in franchise history (the first being 1989 with John Stockton, Karl Malone, and Mark Eaton) that three Jazz players had been selected as All-Stars.

1990: Trade for Jeff Malone

For the 1990–91 season, the Jazz made a three-way trade that brought shooting guard Jeff Malone to Utah from the Washington Bullets.

1991: Move to Delta Center

The 1991–92 season, the Jazz moved to the Delta Center.

1992: Salt Lake City Hosts NBA All-Star Game

During the 1992–93 season, the bright spot for the season was the hosting of the NBA All-Star Game and the surrounding events of All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City.

1993: Jazz trade for Jeff Hornacek

During the 1993–94 season, the Jazz traded Jeff Malone to the Philadelphia 76ers for shooting guard Jeff Hornacek.

1993: Utah Hosted NBA All-Star Game in 1993

On the opening day of the 2019-20 season, a press conference was held, announcing that Utah would host the 2023 NBA All-Star Game. The first time the Jazz hosted this event was in 1993.

1994: Timberwolves almost moved to New Orleans

In 1994, the Minnesota Timberwolves expansion franchise was almost sold and moved to New Orleans.

1994: Jazz Lose Spencer Due to Injury

In the 1994-95 season, Spencer suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon 34 games into the season, which was a setback for the Jazz as they finished 60-22 and lost to Houston in the playoffs.

1996: Jazz Reach Conference Finals

In 1996, the Jazz had a 55–27 record and reached the Conference Finals for the third time in franchise history, but ultimately lost to Seattle, 4–3.

1997: Stockton's Injury

As the 1997-98 season approached, John Stockton suffered a serious knee injury before the season started. Due to this, he missed the first 18 games.

1997: NBA Finals Appearance

In 1997, the Jazz made it to the NBA Finals, but lost to the Chicago Bulls.

February 17, 1998: Failed Trade for Rony Seikaly

On February 17, 1998, at the NBA trade deadline, the Jazz attempted to acquire Rony Seikaly from the Orlando Magic to strengthen their center rotation, but the trade was called off when Seikaly refused to report to the team.

1998: Second NBA Finals Appearance

In 1998, the Jazz made their second consecutive appearance in the NBA Finals, where they again lost to the Chicago Bulls.

1998: Jazz Lose in NBA Finals

In the 1998 NBA Finals against the Chicago Bulls, the Jazz lost the series 4-2, after Michael Jordan stole the ball and made a jump shot in the final seconds of Game 6.

1998: Jazz Tied for Best Record

On May 16, 2021, the Jazz defeated the Sacramento Kings 121–99 to clinch sole possession of the best regular season record in the NBA for the first time in franchise history (the Jazz had tied for the best record in 1998 and 1999).

1999: Malone Wins Second MVP Award

In the 1999 season, Karl Malone was awarded his second MVP award. The Jazz finished 37–13 and lost in the second round of the playoffs to the Portland Trail Blazers.

1999: Jazz Tied for Best Record

2000: Jazz Draft DeShawn Stevenson

During the 1999-2000 offseason, the Jazz drafted DeShawn Stevenson in the first round of the 2000 NBA draft after finishing 55-27 and losing to the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round of the playoffs.

2000: Jazz Lose Playoff Series to Mavericks

In the 2000-01 season, the Jazz lost in the playoffs to the Dallas Mavericks, losing the series 3-2 after surrendering a 2-0 lead.

2000: Multiple Jazz Players Appeared in All-Star Game

On January 30, 2020, Gobert and Mitchell were named reserves for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game. This marked the first time since 2000 that multiple Jazz players had actually appeared in the game.

2001: Andrei Kirilenko's Rookie Debut

In the 2001-02 season, Andrei Kirilenko made his rookie debut and averaged 10.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.91 blocks per game.

2002: NBA Returns to New Orleans

In 2002, the NBA returned to New Orleans when the Charlotte Hornets relocated and became the New Orleans Hornets (now New Orleans Pelicans).

2002: Jazz Acquire Matt Harpring

Prior to the 2002-03 season, the Jazz acquired Matt Harpring from the Philadelphia 76ers, who took over the starting forward spot and averaged career-best numbers.

2003: Jazz Miss Playoffs

During the 2003-04 season, the Jazz missed the playoffs by one game to the Denver Nuggets. Jerry Sloan finished second in voting for the NBA Coach of the Year Award.

2003: Stockton and Malone depart

In 2003, both John Stockton and Karl Malone left the Utah Jazz.

2004: End of Playoff Streak

In 2004, the Utah Jazz missed the playoffs, marking the end of a long streak since their first appearance in 1984.

2004: Injuries Plague Jazz

The 2004-05 season was marked by injuries to Arroyo, López, Boozer, and Kirilenko, contributing to the team's struggles.

2005: Jazz Draft Deron Williams

In 2005, the Utah Jazz drafted Deron Williams with the third overall pick. Greg Ostertag retired and injuries plagued key players.

2006: Jazz Advance to Western Conference Finals

In the 2006-07 season, the Jazz improved play and advanced to the Western Conference Finals but were overpowered by the San Antonio Spurs.

2006: Previous playoff appearance

The Jazz missed the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

2007: Kirilenko EuroBasket MVP & Fisher's Departure

In 2007, Andrei Kirilenko led his Russian national team to a win in EuroBasket and was named MVP, but later expressed a desire to be traded from the Jazz. Derek Fisher left the team due to his daughter's illness.

2007: Multiple Utah Jazz Players Selected for All-Star game

On January 30, 2020, Gobert and Mitchell were named reserves for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game. This marked the first time since 2007 that multiple Utah Jazz players had been selected to the All-Star game.

2008: Death of Jazz Owner Larry H. Miller

The 2008-09 season was marked by injuries to stars and the death of team owner Larry H. Miller. The Jazz finished 48-34 and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Lakers.

2009: Jazz Draft Eric Maynor and Add Wesley Matthews

In 2009, the Jazz drafted Eric Maynor and added undrafted rookie Wesley Matthews. Kyle Korver set an NBA three-point shooting record, and Deron Williams made his first All-Star appearance.

July 7, 2010: Boozer Signs with Bulls

On July 7, 2010, Carlos Boozer signed a five-year, $80 million deal with the Chicago Bulls, which was converted into a sign-and-trade that yielded Utah a $13 million trade exception.

2010: Jazz restructuring begins

During the 2010-11 season, the Jazz began restructuring after Jerry Sloan retired and Deron Williams was traded.

2010: Jazz Rebrand and Roster Changes

In 2010, the Jazz rebranded, reverting to their "music note" logo and unveiling new uniforms. Kyrylo Fesenko accepted a qualifying offer, while Francisco Elson and Earl Watson joined for the 2010-11 season.

2010: First playoff series win since 2010

The Utah Jazz had their first playoff series win since 2010, after defeating the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games in the first round of the 2016-17 NBA Playoffs.

February 10, 2011: Jerry Sloan Resigns

On February 10, 2011, Jerry Sloan resigned as head coach, and Tyrone Corbin replaced him, while Jeff Hornacek joined as an assistant coach.

February 23, 2011: Jazz Trade Deron Williams

On February 23, 2011, the Jazz traded star Deron Williams to the New Jersey Nets for Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, and two first-round picks.

2012: Jazz Trade Devin Harris and Select Kevin Murphy

During the 2012 offseason, the Jazz traded Devin Harris for Marvin Williams and selected Kevin Murphy in the draft. Dennis Lindsey became general manager.

June 27, 2013: Jazz Trade for Rudy Gobert

On June 27, 2013, Rudy Gobert was selected by the Denver Nuggets in the 2013 NBA draft and later traded to the Utah Jazz.

2013: Millsap and Jefferson Leave in Free Agency

Before the 2013-14 season, Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson left the Jazz in free agency, joining Atlanta and Charlotte, respectively.

March 14, 2014: Jazz Eliminated From Playoff Contention

On March 14, 2014, the Jazz were officially eliminated from playoff contention after a 96–87 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

May 20, 2014: Jazz Draft Lottery and Draft Picks

On May 20, 2014, the Jazz earned the 5th pick in the 2014 NBA draft and chose Dante Exum. They also selected Rodney Hood and traded Jarnell Stokes.

June 6, 2014: Quin Snyder Named Head Coach

On June 6, 2014, Quin Snyder was named the eighth head coach in team history, signing a three-year contract with a team option for a fourth.

June 2014: Quin Snyder hired as head coach

In June 2014, Quin Snyder was hired as the head coach of the Utah Jazz.

2015: Elijah Millsap alleges racist remark by Dennis Lindsey

On February 24, 2021, former Jazz forward Elijah Millsap alleged via Twitter that Dennis Lindsey had made a racist remark to him during an interview in 2015.

2015: Jazz Fail to Qualify for Playoffs

The Jazz ended the 2015-16 season with a 40-42 record, failing to qualify for the NBA Playoffs by one game.

2016: Jazz qualify for NBA Playoffs

The Jazz finished the 2016-17 season with a 51–31 record and qualified for the NBA Playoffs as the Western Conference's fifth seed.

June 22, 2017: Jazz acquire Donovan Mitchell

On June 22, 2017, Donovan Mitchell was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets, and then traded to the Jazz in exchange for Trey Lyles. The Jazz also acquired Ricky Rubio.

July 4, 2017: Hayward signs with Boston Celtics

On July 4, 2017, Gordon Hayward announced his decision to leave the Jazz and sign with the Boston Celtics as a free agent in a letter published by The Players' Tribune.

July 14, 2017: Hayward's contract finalized

On July 14, 2017, Gordon Hayward's contract with the Boston Celtics was finalized.

2017: Hayward and Gobert have breakout seasons

In 2017, Gordon Hayward was named an NBA All-Star, while Rudy Gobert was named to the NBA Defensive First Team and All NBA Second Team after having solid seasons prior.

2017: Promise for the Jazz after 2017-18 season

The 2018-19 season began with promise for the Jazz after the surprising success of the 2017-18 season.

2017: Poor start to 2017-18 season

The Jazz had a poor start to the 2017-18 NBA season. By the end of December 2017, the team had a 17–21 record due to Gobert's injury and a lack of scoring.

2018: Gobert named NBA Defensive Player of the Year

After the 2017-18 season, Rudy Gobert was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Also in 2018, Donovan Mitchell was runner-up in the Rookie of the Year voting, Quin Snyder was runner-up Coach of the Year, and Dennis Lindsey was runner-up Executive of the Year.

2018: Jazz in 10th Place in Western Conference

By the end of November 2018, the Jazz were 11-12 and in 10th place in the Western Conference standings. In December, the Jazz record continued to be around the break-even mark.

May 10, 2019: Dennis Lindsey promoted to executive vice president

On May 10, 2019, the Jazz announced the promotion of Dennis Lindsey to executive vice president of basketball operations and Justin Zanik to general manager.

December 24, 2019: Jazz waive Green, sign Tucker, trade Exum for Clarkson

On December 24, 2019, the Jazz announced that they had waived forward Jeff Green, signed G-League free agent Rayjon Tucker, and traded Dante Exum to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Jordan Clarkson.

2019: Jazz add and lose several players

During the 2019 off-season, the Jazz added Jeff Green, Mike Conley Jr., Ed Davis, Bojan Bogdanović, and Emmanuel Mudiay. Derrick Favors, Kyle Korver, Jae Crowder, Raul Neto, and Ricky Rubio left the team.

2019: Jazz Invited to NBA Bubble

Following the suspension of the 2019–20 NBA season, the Jazz were one of the 22 teams invited to the NBA Bubble to participate in the final eight games of the regular season.

2019: Jazz lose to Rockets in playoffs

In 2019, the Jazz closed out the season with a 32–13 run to finish 50–32 and earned the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoffs, but lost to the Houston Rockets in the first round 4–1.

2019: Utah to Host 2023 NBA All-Star Game

On the opening day of the 2019-20 season, a press conference was held to announce that Utah would host the 2023 NBA All-Star Game.

January 30, 2020: Gobert and Mitchell named All-Star reserves

On January 30, 2020, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell were named reserves for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game. This marked the first time since 2007 that multiple Utah Jazz players had been selected to the All-Star game, and the first time since 2000 that multiple Jazz players had actually appeared in the game.

March 2020: Gobert and Mitchell Diagnosed with COVID-19

In March 2020, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell were diagnosed with COVID-19, making the Jazz the first major sporting franchise in North America to be directly affected by the disease, and resulting in the suspension of all remaining NBA games of the season.

October 28, 2020: Ryan Smith Purchases the Utah Jazz

On October 28, 2020, the Utah Jazz organization announced that Ryan Smith had purchased the team from the Miller family.

December 20, 2020: Rudy Gobert signs contract extension

On December 20, 2020, Rudy Gobert signed a five-year, $205 million contract extension with the Utah Jazz.

2020: Best Regular Season Record

In the 2020-21 season, the Utah Jazz achieved the league's best regular-season record.

2020: Jazz begin 2020-21 season strong

The Jazz began their 2020–21 season with an NBA-best and franchise-record 23–5 start.

February 17, 2021: Quin Snyder to coach Western Conference All-Stars

On February 17, 2021, head coach Quin Snyder was announced as the head coach of the Western Conference team for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game.

February 24, 2021: Elijah Millsap alleges racist remark by Dennis Lindsey

On February 24, 2021, former Jazz forward Elijah Millsap alleged via Twitter that Dennis Lindsey had made a racist remark to him during an interview in 2015.

April 16, 2021: Dwyane Wade Purchases Minority Ownership Stake

On April 16, 2021, the Jazz announced that Dwyane Wade had purchased a minority ownership stake in the team.

May 16, 2021: Jazz clinch best regular season record in NBA

On May 16, 2021, the Jazz defeated the Sacramento Kings to clinch sole possession of the best regular season record in the NBA for the first time in franchise history.

2021: Jazz Make Playoffs as 5th Seed

During the 2021–22 season, the Jazz posted a 49–33 record and made the playoffs as a 5th seed.

2021: Early Playoff Exit

Following a strong regular season in 2020-21, the Utah Jazz experienced a disappointing early exit from the playoffs in 2021.

2021: Jazz eliminated from the playoffs

In 2021, after losing game 1 to the Memphis Grizzlies, the Jazz won the next four games to advance to the Western Conference semifinals. The Jazz were then eliminated from the playoffs after the Clippers won the next four games.

June 5, 2022: Quin Snyder Resigns as Head Coach

On June 5, 2022, Quin Snyder announced his resignation as head coach of the Jazz.

July 1, 2022: Jazz trade Rudy Gobert

On July 1, 2022, the Jazz traded Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler, four future first round draft picks, and a pick swap.

August 25, 2022: Jazz trade Beverley to Lakers

On August 25, 2022, Patrick Beverley was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Stanley Johnson and Talen Horton-Tucker.

September 1, 2022: Jazz trade Donovan Mitchell to Cavaliers

On September 1, 2022, Donovan Mitchell was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, three future unprotected first-round draft picks, and two pick swaps.

2022: Mitchell and Gobert Traded

Following disappointing early playoff exits in both 2021 and 2022, the Jazz traded Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert in the 2022 offseason, entering a new era of rebuilding centered around Lauri Markkanen.