Utah Jazz Hire Former Suns Assistant Coach
With the 2025 NBA Draft just hours away, the Utah Jazz have made an interesting addition to their coaching staff. According to NBA insider Tony Jones of The Athletic, the team has hired Chad Forcier, a former assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns.
Forcier, who previously worked on Will Hardy’s staff during the 2023-24 season, spent the past year with the Suns. Following Phoenix’s decision to part ways with head coach Mike Budenholzer, Forcier has now returned to a familiar role with the Jazz for the upcoming season. The Suns recently brought in Jordan Ott from the Cleveland Cavaliers as their new assistant coach, and with that shift, Forcier is making his way back to Utah.
With nearly 25 years of experience in the NBA, Forcier has coached for several franchises, including the Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic, and Memphis Grizzlies. He is perhaps best known for his time with the San Antonio Spurs, where he served from 2007 to 2016 and contributed to the team’s 2014 NBA Finals victory over the Miami Heat. He also earned a championship ring with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, working as an assistant coach from 2019 before rejoining Utah in 2023.
The Jazz have been busy with other coaching moves as well, hiring Steve Wojciechowski, the head coach of the Salt Lake City Stars, as an assistant. In turn, Rick Higgins has been promoted to head coach of the Stars for the 2025-26 season. Additionally, the Jazz secured a long-term extension with Will Hardy, keeping him as head coach through 2031.
Forcier will now join Hardy’s staff as an assistant for the 2025-26 season, adding his wealth of experience to the Jazz’s coaching ranks.
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