Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Grizzlies Rumors

Bickerstaff Was Right Choice For Grizzlies

April 30th, 2018 at 9:13pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Grizzlies center Deyonta Davis is heading into a make-or-break offseason, according to Michael Wallace of the Grizzlies’ website. Davis has one more guaranteed year on his contract at $1.544MM but the Grizzlies might use their top-five lottery pick on another big man to eventually take Marc Gasol‘s place. Davis needs to be more assertive and dominate in Summer League games in order to solidify his NBA future, Wallace continues. His passive play and lack of energy was a big reason why he showed little to no progress in his second season, Wallace adds.

  • Removing the interim tag from J.B. Bickerstaff was the right move for the Grizzlies, Geoff Calkins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal opines. He earned the respect of the team’s top veterans, Gasol and Mike Conley, and the younger role players showed improvement after he replaced David Fizdale, Calkins continues. The franchise is intent on returning to the playoffs next season and there was no need to have the current roster adjust to a new voice, Calkins adds.
Retweet 1 Share 0 Send via email0

Grizzlies, J.B. Bickerstaff Agree To Three-Year Contract

April 26th, 2018 at 10:57pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Grizzlies and J.B. Bickerstaff have agreed to a three-year deal that will make him the team’s permanent head coach, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Bickerstaff spent most of the 2017/18 season as the interim head coach for the Grizzlies.

Earlier today, we passed along word that the Grizzlies and Bickerstaff were engaged in discussions on a deal that would elevate him to the franchise’s full-time head coaching role. Bickerstaff assumed the interim job following the in-season dismissal of David Fizdale. However, the Grizzlies dealt with several injuries to key players, including Mike Conley, Tyreke Evans, and Chandler Parsons, falling out of playoff contention early in the year.

Memphis went 15-48 with Bickerstaff at the helm, ultimately finishing with a 22-60 record. It was the NBA’s second-worst mark in 2017/18.

Despite the Grizzlies’ poor record under Bickerstaff, the veteran coach made a strong impression on team management, writes Wojnarowski. Bickerstaff also received praise from Conley and Marc Gasol, the Grizzlies’ two leading players, during the club’s end-of-season exit interviews. Conley said that Bickerstaff “deserves this job,” while Gasol praised his ability to handle adversity.

The new agreement will give Bickerstaff the opportunity to enter a season as a team’s head coach for the first time. The 39-year-old, who has also served as an assistant for the Bobcats, Timberwolves, and Rockets, has been an interim head coach twice, having also stepped into that role after Houston dismissed Kevin McHale during the 2015/16 campaign.

The Grizzlies are poised to become the first team to finalize a deal with a new permanent head coach this offseason, though the fact that they stuck with their interim coach obviously gave them a leg up in the process. No reports since the end of the regular season linked Memphis to any other candidates for the position.

Luke Adams contributed to this story. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

Wayne Selden's Future With Grizzlies

April 26th, 2018 at 6:24pm CST by marksuleymanov
  • Michael Wallace of NBA.com examined Wayne Selden‘s season and his possible role with the Grizzlies moving forward. Selden averaged 9.3 PPG while shooting an impressive 40.2% from three-point range.
Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Grizzlies, J.B. Bickerstaff Working On New Deal

April 26th, 2018 at 10:05am CST by Luke Adams

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.”

Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

Grizzlies To Retain J.B. Bickerstaff As Head Coach?

April 25th, 2018 at 10:36pm CST by clarkcrum

As our 2018 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker demonstrates, there has been little to no news regarding the Grizzlies’ search for a new head man. Moreover, Memphis hasn’t been linked to any new coaching candidates.

But as reported by Real GM, Marc Stein of The New York Times recently stated on the Dunc’d on Podcast that his sources believe interim head coach J.B. Bickerstaff will remain as head coach of the Grizzlies next season.

“I can’t remember the last time somebody brought up the Grizzlies,” said Stein. “(Grizzlies owner) Robert Pera, maybe he has a surprise in store. I can just tell you, basically everyone I talk to is operating under the assumption J.B. Bickerstaff is going to be brought back. Ultimately, we’ll see until we get an announcement from the team that’s the case it’s official.”

There hasn’t been any official word on the Grizzlies being close to hiring Bickerstaff, but there appears to be sources within the NBA who strongly believe Bickerstaff will be coaching in Memphis next season.

Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

2018 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Memphis Grizzlies

April 25th, 2018 at 2:40pm CST by Luke Adams

After heading into the fall with playoff aspirations, the Grizzlies had a disastrous 2017/18 season. Standout point guard Mike Conley only played in 12 games, while fellow max-salary veteran Chandler Parsons appeared in 36. The team’s other highest-paid player, Marc Gasol, remained healthy, but clashed with head coach David Fizdale, ultimately resulting in Fizdale’s ouster. All three of Memphis’ max players are still under contract next season, so there’s some optimism that the club could return to playoff contention with better health, but it will be an uphill climb following a 22-win season.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Grizzlies financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2018:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

  • None

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

  • Andrew Harrison ($1,544,951)
  • Omari Johnson ($1,378,242)2
  • Wayne Selden ($772,475) — Partial guarantee. Guaranteed portion noted above.1
  • Total: $3,695,668

Restricted Free Agents

  • None

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Projected Cap Room: None

  • Even before taking into account a cap hold for their lottery pick, the Grizzlies are over the projected cap with nearly $103MM in guaranteed contracts. Any path to cap room would involve major trades and/or cuts, so we can expect Memphis to be an over-the-cap club this summer, with the full mid-level exception available. The Grizzlies won’t have their bi-annual exception available this offseason after using it in 2017/18 to sign Evans.

Footnotes:

  1. Selden’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 10.
  2. Johnson’s exact contract details, including guarantee info, aren’t yet known.
  3. The Grizzlies are second in the draft lottery standings. They could end up picking anywhere from No. 1 ($8,095,595) to No. 5 ($5,310,672).

Note: Rookie scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and RealGM was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Conley Anticipates Playing Full Season

April 22nd, 2018 at 4:54pm CST by Dana Gauruder
  • Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley anticipates playing a full season after his injury-marred 2017/18 campaign, the team’s PR department tweets. Conley opted for season-ending heel surgery in late January after appearing in just 12 games. “Thankfully I had the surgery early enough to where I have a full summer of work and getting my body ready for an 82-game season,” Conley told reporters.
Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

Chandler Parsons Provided Some Reasons For Optimism

April 18th, 2018 at 9:54pm CST by Arthur Hill

Chandler Parsons has given the Grizzlies a few reasons for optimism, writes Michael Wallace of NBA.com. Parsons continued to battle knee problems in the second season of a four-year, $94MM contract, but he appeared in 36 games, two more than a year ago, and may have reached 50 if the team hadn’t fallen out of contention so quickly, Wallace adds.

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

No Formal Punishment For Tanking; JaMychal Green Outlook

April 17th, 2018 at 4:28pm CST by clarkcrum
  • While neither the Grizzlies nor any other team – outside of Dallas – was ever formally punished by the league office for apparent tanking, several franchises, including Memphis, received a direct message from the NBA against tanking, reports Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal. Per NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, “We had conversations with several teams with what the product was they were putting on the floor. I’ll leave it at that.”
  • Michael Wallace of Grind City Media delves into the Grizzlies offseason outlook, starting with power forward JaMychal Green. Green, due $7.87MM next season, averaged career highs in points (10.3), rebounds (8.4) and assists (1.4) per game this season. Per Wallace, Green remains a bargain for Memphis, but he must continue to develop his ability to make plays and operate in space moving forward.
Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

2018 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker

April 17th, 2018 at 3:02pm CST by Luke Adams

After a period of virtually unprecedented stability in the NBA’s head coaching ranks, the coaching carousel started spinning again during the 2017/18 league year. Three teams made in-season coaching changes, installing interim replacements, and six more clubs have parted ways with their head coaches since the regular season ended.

In the space below, we’ll provide daily updates on the head coaching searches for each club that has yet to give anyone the permanent title. Some of these searches could extend well into the spring, so be sure to check back each day for the latest updates.

Updated 6-12-18 (10:32am CT)

Active Searches:

None

Completed Searches:

Atlanta Hawks

  • Out: Mike Budenholzer (story)
  • In: Lloyd Pierce (story)
  • After initially giving Budenholzer permission to interview with other teams seeking a new head coach, the Hawks and Budenholzer reached an agreement to mutually part ways, leaving Atlanta on the lookout for a new coach of its own. After three meetings with him, the Hawks made Pierce their man.
  • Interviewed: Nate Tibbetts (story), Stephen Silas (story), Jay Larranaga (story), Jarron Collins (story), Darvin Ham (story), David Fizdale (hired by Knicks)

Charlotte Hornets

  • Out: Steve Clifford (story)
  • In: James Borrego (story)
  • In addition to firing Clifford, the Hornets made a change in their front office this offseason, hiring Mitch Kupchak as their new president of basketball operations and general manager. Kupchak led the search for a new head coach, and Borrego was the team’s choice.
  • Interviewed: Jay Larranaga (story; second interview), Jerry Stackhouse (story), Ettore Messina (story), David Fizdale (story), Ime Udoka (story), David Vanterpool (story), Jim Boylen (story), Nick Nurse (story)

Detroit Pistons

  • Out: Stan Van Gundy (story)
  • In: Dwane Casey (story)
  • The Pistons were said to like Ime Udoka, John Beilein, and Kenny Smith, but Casey always appeared to be the frontrunner. The team finalized a deal with him before hiring a new general manager.
  • Interviewed or will interview: Kenny Smith (story), Juwan Howard (story), Ime Udoka (story), John Beilein (story), Jason Kidd (story), Nick Nurse (story)
  • Rumored target before he was hired by another team: Mike Budenholzer (story)

Memphis Grizzlies

  • Out: David Fizdale (in-season change)
  • In: J.B. Bickerstaff (story)
  • J.B. Bickerstaff, who finished the 2017/18 season as the Grizzlies’ interim head coach, was elevated to the permanent role after Robert Pera retained control of the franchise. Bickerstaff and the Grizzlies agreed to a new three-year contract that includes a team option in year three.

Milwaukee Bucks

  • Out: Jason Kidd (in-season change); Joe Prunty (interim coach)
  • In: Mike Budenholzer (story)
  • Even before he parted ways with the Hawks, Budenholzer was rumored to have interest in the Bucks’ head coaching job. The Bucks considered other candidates – including finalist Ettore Messina – and Budenholzer received interest from other teams, but the two sides ultimately came together, agreeing to a four-year deal.
  • Interviewed: Joe Prunty (story), Ettore Messina (story), Steve Clifford (story), Monty Williams (story), David Blatt (story), Becky Hammon (story), Jay Larranaga (story)
  • Informal conversation: Jim Cleamons (story)
  • Had planned to interview: James Borrego (story)

New York Knicks

  • Out: Jeff Hornacek (story)
  • In: David Fizdale (story)
  • The Knicks cast a wide net as they searched for a new head coach, meeting with current and former head coaches, assistants, and even a TV analyst with no previous coaching experience. In total, they interviewed 11 candidates, ultimately landing on Fizdale, who agreed to a four-year contract with the club.
  • Interviewed: Jerry Stackhouse (story), Mark Jackson (story), Mike Woodson (story), Kenny Smith (story), Mike Budenholzer (story), David Blatt (story; second meeting), James Borrego (story), Jay Larranaga (story), Juwan Howard (story), Mike Brown (story)

Orlando Magic

  • Out: Frank Vogel (story)
  • In: Steve Clifford (story)
  • The Magic said after firing Vogel that they planned to take their time with their search, and they made good on that promise, taking nearly seven weeks to pick a replacement. Ultimately, it was Clifford, a former Orlando assistant on Stan Van Gundy‘s staff, who emerged as the choice, reaching a four-year deal to join the Magic.
  • Interviewed: David Vanterpool (story), Ime Udoka (story), Kelvin Sampson (story), David Fizdale (story; hired by Knicks)

Phoenix Suns

Toronto Raptors

  • Out: Dwane Casey (story)
  • In: Nick Nurse (story)
  • Setting a franchise record for wins in a season (59) and winning the Coaches Association’s Coach of the Year award didn’t save Casey’s job, with the Raptors dismissing him in what Masai Ujiri called “a very difficult but necessary step.” Nurse, a top assistant who was credited for revamping Toronto’s offense last season, received a promotion to the top job.
  • Interviewed: Rex Kalamian (story), Jerry Stackhouse (story), Ettore Messina (story), Ime Udoka (story), Sarunas Jasikevicius (story), Mike Budenholzer (story; hired by Bucks)
Retweet 17 Share 0 Send via email0