Utah Jazz hiring former Celtics executive Austin Ainge

The Utah Jazz are making a significant addition to their front office, hiring longtime Boston Celtics executive Austin Ainge as their new President of Basketball Operations, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Ainge has spent the past 14 years in Boston’s front office, starting as Director of Player Personnel before being promoted to assistant general manager, a role he has held for the last six seasons.

During his tenure, Ainge was a key voice in the Celtics’ scouting and draft process, helping the team identify and develop talent in both the first and second rounds, as well as among undrafted free agents.

Before joining the Celtics’ executive ranks, Ainge served as the first head coach of the Maine Celtics (formerly known as the Maine Red Claws), Boston’s G League affiliate, beginning in 2009.

This move marks a reunion in Utah with his father, Danny Ainge, who joined the Jazz in December 2021 as CEO of Basketball Operations and alternate governor. The elder Ainge, a former Celtics player and the franchise’s longtime president of basketball operations, spent 18 years building Boston into a perennial playoff contender before stepping down following the 2020–21 season.

The move leaves the Celtics with a notable vacancy in their front office during a critical offseason. Boston, fresh off a strong regular season and a second round exit, faces major salary cap decisions and potential roster shake-ups in addition to dealing with Jayson Tatum who will most likely be sidelined for the entire 2025-26 season with a torn Achilles.

Ainge had played a vital role behind the scenes in constructing Boston’s depth, with recent hits in the draft and signing undrafted free agents including Payton Pritchard, Grant Williams, Robert Williams III, Aaron Nesmith and Sam Hauser.

Boston’s front office has already undergone changes in recent years, with Brad Stevens stepping into the President of Basketball Operations role in 2021. Now, Stevens and his team will need to find a replacement for Ainge, a trusted voice in the room and a key contributor to the Celtics’ sustained success.

It is not yet clear who will succeed Ainge in Boston.