Will Hardy has spent four seasons asking the Utah Jazz to develop winning habits. Their 107-221 record hasn't provided much encouragement.
The Jazz coach understands the frustration that comes with that much losing. He's also aware of what can happen when those frustrations begin affecting the people responsible for turning the franchise around.
In an interview published Sunday by The Salt Lake Tribune's Shreyas Laddha, Hardy acknowledged the challenges of maintaining a healthy locker room throughout Utah's rebuild, warning that "misguided anger is very dangerous."
The concern, Hardy explained, was allowing frustration to turn inward — with players and coaches blaming one another for circumstances they were all trying to overcome.
"We're all in it together. We all want the same thing. We all want to win … to be a championship-caliber team one day," Hardy said.
There was no suggestion of a fractured locker room in those comments. Hardy was explaining the importance of preventing one.
And Utah's circumstances have certainly tested that approach.
The Jazz went 37-45 during Hardy's debut season in 2022-23, then followed with 31, 17 and 22-win campaigns. While the front office prioritized draft assets and young talent, Hardy remained responsible for maintaining standards — even as roster decisions often limited his team's chances of winning.
That responsibility extended beyond the scoreboard.
Hardy has emphasized preparation, accountability and the daily habits he believes separate winning organizations from unsuccessful ones. In March, he told the Deseret News' Sarah Todd that Utah's losing record didn't necessarily reflect the culture being established.
"We just lost. And there is a difference."
It's a distinction worth considering. Players can improve, compete and establish good habits without possessing the talent necessary to win consistently.
But the Jazz haven't always made that argument easy to defend.
Utah allowed an NBA-worst 126.0 points per game last season, finishing 29th in defensive rating. Personnel limitations and constant roster changes help explain those numbers, though they don't eliminate questions about the team's defensive development.
Communication, rotations, consistent effort … those are reasonable expectations even for a rebuilding team. And all three fall, at least in part, under the coaching staff's watch.
With Utah preparing to enter a different phase of its rebuild, Hardy will face greater expectations for progress.
Jaren Jackson Jr. is approaching his first full season in Salt Lake City, Keyonte George has secured a long-term extension and No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson joins a roster still centered around Lauri Markkanen.
Jazz president of basketball operations Austin Ainge acknowledged the increased expectations at September's media day.
"We have to make huge strides," Ainge said.
That doesn't mean Utah should suddenly be considered a playoff favorite. The Jazz still have questions about their rotations, defensive consistency and the development of their younger players.
But the front office has assembled a roster with more established talent, and Hardy has spent four seasons preparing his players for this opportunity.
His warning about misplaced frustration offers some perspective on how difficult that process has been. Maintaining trust through years of losing matters — particularly when the organization is asking players to believe in something they haven't experienced together.
The next step requires more than keeping everyone on the same page.
Hardy has argued that losing games and developing a losing culture aren't the same thing. After 221 losses, it's time for that distinction to start showing up in the standings.