Jazz Ownership Made Decision To Replace Dennis Lindsey With Justin Zanik

The exit of Dennis Lindsey as president of basketball operations was a decision made more by ownership than by Lindsey.

Ryan Smith, who took over ownership in December, chose to move on without Lindsey and instead promoted Justin Zanik to the role of Utah's primary decision-maker.

There had been a long-running disconnect between Lindsey and Quin Snyder. While Lindsey hired Snyder, the relationship deteriorated over the years. While partnerships between coaching staffs and front offices are commonly fraught, this one was considered unusually chilly. 

“Quin won,” one source simply said.

Zanik has a better relationship both with Smith and Snyder than Lindsey did.