Memphis Grizzlies Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Grizzlies Hire Taylor Jenkins As Head Coach

June 11th, 2019 at 2:21pm CST by Luke Adams

2:21pm: The Grizzlies have officially confirmed that they’ve hired Jenkins as their new head coach.

“We are excited to welcome Taylor Jenkins to the Grizzlies organization,” Kleiman said in a statement. “Taylor has an excellent coaching pedigree and we are confident he will lay the groundwork of developing the young players on our roster while having the elite basketball acumen and forward-thinking positive vision to be a high-level NBA head coach.”

10:48am: The Grizzlies‘ lengthy coaching search has come to an end, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports that the club is hiring Bucks assistant Taylor Jenkins as its new head coach. Memphis had been the last NBA team with a head coaching vacancy.

Jenkins spent several seasons with the Spurs beginning in 2007, eventually being promoted to the head coach of the franchise’s G League team in Austin. Following his time in San Antonio, he joined Mike Budenholzer‘s staff in Atlanta, serving as a Hawks assistant beginning in 2013. A year ago, he made the move to Milwaukee, once again working under Budenholzer as an assistant for the Bucks.

As Wojnarowski points out, Jenkins will become the third NBA head coach to be hired directly off Budenholzer’s staff. Quin Snyder (Jazz) and Kenny Atkinson (Nets) were assistants in Atlanta before joining their current teams.

Jenkins, who met with the Grizzlies three times during their search process, per Wojnarowski, was one of several reported candidates to interview the position. Alex Jensen, Jarron Collins, Igor Kokoskov, Nate Tibbetts, and Adrian Griffin were among the others who spoke to Memphis about the job, while Sarunas Jasikevicius was said to have received consideration as well.

Word of J.B. Bickerstaff‘s dismissal broke on April 11, so the Grizzlies spent two months searching for his replacement. It’s the first major decision made by the new management group led by team president Jason Wexler and executive VP of basketball operations Zach Kleiman.

Jenkins will assume control of a Grizzlies team that appears headed for a rebuild around 2018’s No. 4 overall pick Jaren Jackson Jr. and 2019’s probable No. 2 overall pick Ja Morant. Franchise point guard Mike Conley remains under contract for two years, but he’s expected to be a trade candidate this summer if Memphis looks to reboot around its young cornerstones.

Raptors Notes: Leonard, Load Management, Gasol

June 8th, 2019 at 8:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kawhi Leonard is becoming a destroyer of dynasties, writes Michael Lee of The Athletic. The Raptors star has a chance to end the Warriors’ run at the top of the NBA five years after doing the same thing to the Heat when they were led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

Leonard is also making a case to be called the league’s best player, although Lee notes it would be more impressive if he were dueling Kevin Durant instead of an injury-slowed Andre Iguodala and Alfonzo McKinnie. Still, Leonard has put himself in that conversation, even though he doesn’t fit the mold of a flashy superstar.

“I just want to play and just let people remember that I played hard at both ends of the floor, I was a winner and that’s basically it,” said Leonard, who will move on to an important free agency decision once the Finals are done. “I’m just here enjoying my dream, having fun. I mean, legacy is opinionated by each person, but I’m just playing right about myself really, and what I feel makes me happy.”

There’s more from Toronto:

Leonard’s success after playing just nine games last season will lead more teams to practice “load management,” predicts Frank Isola of The Athletic. Leonard missed 22 games this year, with most pre-planned to reduce his regular season wear and tear. He wasn’t used on both ends of any of Toronto’s 13 back-to-backs and never played more than nine straight games. Although Leonard has seemed hobbled at times in the playoffs, he has taken on a full workload. “You do your warmup, get treatment before the game, off days and after the game whatever that can help speed your recovery up so you’re able to play the next day,” he said.
Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN imagines the case the Raptors might make to Leonard when free agency arrives in 22 days. He expects management to focus on the talent already on hand, the success of Nick Nurse everywhere he has coached and the organization’s willingness to adjust Leonard’s regular season minutes to keep him fresh. Toronto may also have an NBA title by then as a selling point.
Marc Gasol has adjusted his game to become a modern, 3-point shooting center in recent years, writes Jackie MacMullan of ESPN. She talks to Knicks coach David Fizdale, who recalls that his efforts to get Gasol to change was one of the reasons they clashed in Memphis.

Nets Exec Turns Down Front Office Job

June 7th, 2019 at 7:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Grizzlies were interested in hiring Matt Riccardi, an assistant GM with the Nets’ G League franchise, for a front office position, according to Michael Scotto of The Athletic. Riccardi was granted permission to speak with the Grizzlies brass but opted to stay with the Nets organization.

Raptors Notes: Leonard, Gasol, Lowry, Green

June 7th, 2019 at 2:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Everyone knows about the flashy moves that vaulted the Raptors into the NBA Finals, but ESPN’s Brian Windhorst examines some of the under-the-radar happenings that have Toronto on the verge of its first championship. One of them dates back to 2011 when they nabbed highly respected trainer Alex McKechnie after the Lakers let his contract expire. McKechnie has led the way in keeping Kawhi Leonard healthy and building his trust in the organization after his experience in San Antonio.

The Raptors also benefited when the Nuggets declined to match their offer to team president Masai Ujiri in 2013, when the Knicks turned down a trade involving Kyle Lowry during the 2013/14 season, and when Pascal Siakam decided to attend a Basketball Without Borders camp in 2012 because it gave him a chance to visit his sister in South Africa.

Windhorst also examines the trade that brought Marc Gasol from the Grizzlies in February, noting that the deal wouldn’t have been possible unless Memphis was able to unload salary to keep from going into luxury tax territory. The answer came when the Clippers agreed to take Garrett Temple and JaMychal Green in exchange for Avery Bradley, allowing Toronto to pick up Gasol, who has provided a valuable veteran presence in the middle.

There’s more Raptors news to pass along:

The Knicks would have sent several players to Toronto in the Lowry deal, including Metta World Peace and Iman Shumpert, along with a 2018 first-round pick, according to Frank Isola of The Athletic. Owner James Dolan decided to nix the trade because he didn’t fare well in two previous deals with Ujiri, including the one that brought Carmelo Anthony to New York.
Danny Green seems to save his best performances for the NBA Finals, notes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. Green, who is headed for free agency, made six 3-pointers in Game 3 and is among just two players to make at least 15 Finals 3-pointers while shooting better than 50% from long range. “I don’t think it’s the stage,” Green said. “I think it’s just the life of a shooter. Sometimes you have ups and downs and I think luckily, during this time, I’ve had some ups.”
Knicks officials are confident that they will get a meeting with Leonard when free agency starts at the end of the month, relays Mark Berman of The New York Post. They may explore the possibility of teaming Leonard with Kevin Durant now that Kyrie Irving is rumored to be headed to Brooklyn.

Valanciunas Reiterates HC Hire Will Influence His Option Decision

June 5th, 2019 at 10:09am CST by Luke Adams

Jonas Valanciunas once again stated this week that the Grizzlies‘ head coaching decision will play a part in his decision on his $17.6MM player option for 2019/20, as Lithuanian reporter Donatas Urbonas relays (via Twitter). “Deeper into the summer, we’ll have a better picture [of] who’s staying and what are the team’s plans,” Valanciunas said. “First, I want to see who’s the head coach. It’s gonna be a huge factor.”

Stein: Grizzlies Considering New Bench Model In HC Search

June 5th, 2019 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies, the only team still seeking a new head coach, are believed to be considering a new bench model. Memphis wants to have at least one of its assistant coaches hold a dual title that includes some personnel responsibilities, says Stein.

[SOURCE LINK]

Draft Notes: Washington, Konchar, Thomas, McQuaid

June 4th, 2019 at 6:00pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Former Kentucky Wildcat PJ Washington is fully healthy and will have his first pre-draft workout on Sunday, Jonathan Givony of ESPN.com relays (Twitter link). The first of his five upcoming visits will be with the Heat.

Here are more workout notes on the upcoming draft:

John Konchar (Purdue) recently worked out for the Suns and Magic, a source tells Jordan Schultz of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Konchar will work out for the Warriors on June 6.
Elijah Thomas (Clemson) has worked out for the Pacers, Michael Scotto of The Athletic relays. Thomas will participate in drills for the Wizards on Friday.
Matt McQuaid worked out for the Pistons and Grizzlies, Rod Beard of the Detroit News tweets. The Michigan State product will also work out for the Cavaliers.
Amir Coffey (Minnesota) has worked out for the Raptors and Hornets, per Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link). Coffey will also work out for the Pelicans and Timberwolves.

Grizzlies Interview Taylor Jenkins For Second Time

June 4th, 2019 at 1:38pm CST by Luke Adams

The latest round-up of NBA rumors from Shams Charania of The Athletic features a handful of coaching-related notes, including an update on the Grizzlies‘ head coaching search.

According to Charania, Bucks assistant Taylor Jenkins, whose interview with Memphis was previously reported, met with the Grizzlies for a second time last week. Jenkins is one of at least six candidates to interview for the position, but the fact that he got a second meeting may signal that he’s receiving serious consideration.

It's Best If Conley Gets Dealt This Offseason

June 3rd, 2019 at 5:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Grizzlies should swap veteran point guard Mike Conley while his value remains high after he averaged a career high in points this season, Omari Sankofa II of The Athletic argues.

Northwest Notes: Jazz, Wolves, Forcier, Vanterpool, Thunder

June 2nd, 2019 at 8:33pm CST by JD Shaw

With Ricky Rubio set to become an unrestricted free agent on June 30, the Jazz could be in the market for a new starting point guard moving forward, Kincade Upstill of the Deseret News writes.

Rubio made a rather interesting comment this weekend, sharing that Utah won’t be aggressively trying to re-sign him when he reaches the open market. “Utah has already let me know I’m not a priority for them,” he said, according to Ernest Macia of Catalunya Radio.

The Jazz could pursue other available point guards in free agency such as Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker, Malcolm Brogdon, D’Angelo Russell or Derrick Rose if the franchise mutually agrees to part ways with Rubio, who has served as the team’s starting point guard over the last two seasons. However, Jazz vice president of basketball operations Dennis Lindsey went on the record to state that Ricky could still re-sign on a new contract.

“He’s got a decision to make on his end and we’ve got a decision to make on our end, but there’s a lot of scenarios I can see Ricky back. … We really appreciate who he is and we think we can get him better from a health perspective and skill standpoint,” Lindsey said, according to Upstill. “We know who he is — he has Jazz DNA. So he’ll have options, we’ll have options and we’ll talk to him and his agent.”

Rubio’s name surfaced in rumors around this season’s February 7 trade deadline, likely causing some trust issues between him and the organization. He holds career-averages of 11.1 points, 7.7 assists and 30.9 minutes across his eight NBA seasons.

There’s more out of the Northwest Division tonight:

The Timberwolves recently held a free-agent workout that included the likes of Semaj Christon and Milton Doyle, forwards Jamel Artis and Jarrod Uthoff, and center Amida Brimah, as reported by Nicola Lupo of Sportando. Other participants included Keenan Evans, Briante Weber, Mychal Mulder, Rayvonte Rice, Wade Baldwin, Xavier Munford, and Matt Costello, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link).
Grizzlies assistant Chad Forcier and Trail Blazers assistant David Vanterpool are two candidates to join the Timberwolves‘ coaching staff under Ryan Saunders, Wolfson notes in a separate tweet. Vanterpool interviewed for Minnesota’s head coaching job in mid-May.
Multiple former Thunder coaches and executives are making an impact around the NBA today, Erik Horne of The Oklahoman writes. Among the successful league officials who spent some time in Oklahoma City are Vanterpool, Adrian Griffin (Raptors assistant coach) and Monty Williams (Suns head coach).