Utah Jazz owner Gail Miller poses during a news conference in Salt Lake City in 2017. The majority interest of the Utah Jazz is being sold to technology entrepreneur Ryan Smith, a move that when formally approved by the NBA will end the Miller family’s 35-year run as owners of the franchise. Rick Bowmer/Associated Press
SALT LAKE CITY — The majority interest of the Utah Jazz is being sold to technology entrepreneur Ryan Smith, a move that when formally approved by the NBA will end the Miller family’s 35-year run as owners of the franchise.
The Jazz said Wednesday that “definitive agreements” have been struck with Smith on the sale of the team, Vivint Arena, the team’s G League affiliate and management of a Triple-A baseball club. Part of those agreements call for the team to remain in Utah.
Smith is a co-founder of the Utah-based firm Qualtrics, which was sold to SAP for $8 billion in an all-cash deal finalized last year.
Gail Miller, the owner and chair of the Larry H. Miller Group, said she has known Smith and his wife Ashley for some time. Smith, she said, approached the Millers to gauge their interest in a sale. The terms were not immediately disclosed, though ESPN reported the purchase price to exceed $1.6 billion.
“After much soul searching, lengthy discussions and extensive evaluations of our long-term goals, my family and I decided this was the right time to pass our responsibility and cherished stewardship of 35 years to Ryan and Ashley, who share our values and are committed to keeping the team in Utah,” Miller said. “We have every confidence they will continue the work we have undertaken and move the team to the next level.”
The sale will have to be approved by the NBA’s board of governors. When that happens, Smith will be installed as the team’s governor. The Miller family will retain a stake in the franchise.
ROCKETS: The Houston Rockets and Stephen Silas have an agreement for the Dallas assistant to replace Mike D’Antoni as coach, multiple people with knowledge of the deal said.
The hiring of the son of former NBA player and coach Paul Silas completes a significant change in the leadership of the team with the league’s longest active playoff streak after Daryl Morey decided not to return as general manager following D’Antoni’s departure.
The Rockets beat Oklahoma City in the first round of the playoff bubble in Florida this year before losing to the champion Los Angeles Lakers in five games, the third second-round exit in D’Antoni’s four seasons. The former Phoenix coach decided not to return when his contract expired.
76ERS: The Philadelphia 76ers are in advanced negotiations with former Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey to become president of basketball operations as part of their front-office overhaul that began after an underachieving season, multiple people with direct knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The deal is expected to be finalized as early as this weekend, according to the people who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Wednesday because it has not been made official. Elton Brand will remain general manager, they said.
Morey stepped down as GM of the Rockets earlier this month after failing to lead the franchise to the NBA Finals. The Rockets made the playoffs 10 times since Morey was hired in 2007, including the last eight seasons, for the longest active streak in the NBA.
He was responsible for the blockbuster trade that brought James Harden to Houston from Oklahoma City. The Rockets reached the Western Conference finals twice under Morey but were unable to win their first championship since consecutive titles in 1994-95.
RAPTORS: Toronto rookie Terence Davis was arrested in New York on charges of assaulting a woman and criminal mischief, police said Wednesday.
The incident occurred Tuesday night at a luxury high-rise in midtown Manhattan, where a 20-year-old woman told police she went to visit her boyfriend and the two got into a verbal dispute, a police spokeswoman said.
Davis then hit the woman in the face, hurting her eye, and grabbed her phone and broke its screen, Detective Sophia Mason said in a statement. Davis was awaiting arraignment, and there was no immediate word on whether he had a lawyer who could comment on his behalf.
The Raptors said they were aware of reports about the incident and were gathering more information.
Davis, a 23-year-old guard, played college basketball at Mississippi before joining the Raptors as an undrafted free agent before the start of the 2019-20 season. He averaged 7.5 points per game and was named to the league’s All-Rookie Second Team.
76ERS: The Philadelphia 76ers are in advanced negotiations with former Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey to become president of basketball operations as part of their front-office overhaul that began after an underachieving season, multiple people with direct knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The deal is expected to be finalized as early as this weekend, according to the people who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because it has not been made official. Elton Brand will remain general manager, they said.
Morey stepped down as GM of the Rockets earlier this month after blockbuster moves that failed to lead the franchise to the NBA finals. The Rockets made the playoffs 10 times since Morey was hired in 2007, including the last eight seasons, for the longest active streak in the NBA.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.