The Grizzlies and interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff are engaged in serious discussions on a new deal that would make Bickerstaff the team’s permanent head coach, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports. Chris Herrington of The Memphis Commercial Appeal confirms Charania’s report, tweeting that he expects Bickerstaff to get a two- or three-year contract.
As we relayed on Wednesday night, there was a growing sense in recent weeks that the Grizzlies would ultimately decide to retain Bickerstaff, who took over the job during the 2017/18 season after David Fizdale was dismissed. In the two weeks since the regular season ended, Memphis hadn’t been linked to a single head coaching candidate, and Robert Pera‘s decision to retain control of the franchise was believed to bode well for Bickerstaff.
Bickerstaff’s first 63 games as head coach of the Grizzlies weren’t a rousing success, as he led the team to a 15-48 mark. Still, he was missing key players like Mike Conley, Chandler Parsons, and Tyreke Evans for big chunks of the year, and was ultimately evaluated more for his ability to develop the team’s young players than his win-loss record.
Franchise mainstays Conley and Marc Gasol both endorsed Bickerstaff for the long-term head coaching job at season’s end, with Conley telling reporters that the former Rockets head coach “deserves this job.” Gasol praised Bickerstaff’s ability to handle adversity throughout a tough season.
“He’s done a tremendous job with the tools he was given and with what he was allowed to do,” Gasol said. “Through all the mess and the situation, he’s done a great job.”