Earl Watson expresses interest in Jazz coaching job, Hayward approves

Earl Watson's NBA season ended on Wednesday when the Portland Trail Blazers were eliminated from the playoffs, but he's already looking ahead to next season.

Wait, let's take a step back first.

Watson, a 34-year-old guard, finished his 13th season as an NBA player, though he appeared sparingly for the Blazers. It turns out, Wednesday's playoff finale may have been the end of Watson's active playing career.

At least, that's the message that he gave off on Friday, when he openly campaigned for a return to the Utah Jazz, with whom he spent three seasons. Not as a reserve guard, mind you, but as the head coach.

From CSNNW:

Earl Watson of the Portland Trail Blazers has a strong desire to become the next head coach of the Utah Jazz and would relish the opportunity to interview for the position, league sources associated with the guard informed CSNNW.com.

Watson, 34, played three seasons as a member of the Jazz and immediately became an organization and fan favorite. He is viewed by numerous NBA executives as one of the few current players capable of making a smooth transition into the NBA coaching profession shortly following retirement.

The soon-to-be coach admitted during Friday’s exit interviews that the Utah job attracts him, and he already has the endorsement of Utah’s electric wing stud.

Said endorsement comes from Gordon Hayward, who said he's "definitely pulling for Earl to get the job." The Jazz have strong incentive to make Hayward happy, as the 24-year-old wing is a restricted free agent this summer.

Still, the Jazz sound like a team that's a while away from deciding on a coach, and reports have indicated that they'll cast a wide net in their search. Should they look to Watson, the CSNNW report indicated that Watson will forgo trying to play a 14th season to take the job.