Memphis Grizzlies Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Grizzlies GM: No Plans To Rebuild This Season

November 30th, 2017 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

A loss in San Antonio on Wednesday extended the Grizzlies’ losing streak to nine games and dropped the team to 7-13 on the season. However, according to general manager Chris Wallace, the team has no plans to shift into rebuilding mode this year. As Wallace explained to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, the Grizzlies fully expect to contend once they get healthy, and they’re “full speed ahead” with the current roster.

“We’ve been in the playoffs seven years in a row,” Wallace said. “We’ve got a team when fully healthy and we get everything together is more athletic, more versatile and more potent offensively than we’ve had for a number of years. Even though the going has been a little difficult early, there’s still 62 [games] to play. We believe in this team.”

In the wake of the decision to bench Marc Gasol during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to Brooklyn, there was speculation about a potential trade involving Gasol. Memphis’ decision to dismiss David Fizdale a day later quieted those rumblings to a certain extent, but given the club’s health issues and its record through 20 games, there were some executives who believed the Grizzlies would continue to explore their options with Gasol. Wallace told MacMahon that’s not the case.

“We have no intention to trade Marc,” Wallace said. “We never seriously considered that at all. We never placed any calls to any teams in that regard. So that’s not happening. … It’s not just Marc that this whole equation is about. It’s also Mike Conley when he comes back. We’ve got two guys among the elite in the league at their respective positions that are still very much in their window with an awful lot of tread left on their tires.”

While the Grizzlies’ stance may frustrate some fans and observers, it would be tricky for the team to engage in an all-out rebuild at this point. Conley and Chandler Parsons still have multiple guaranteed years left on their massive contracts after this season, which would make it difficult to get a solid return in any trade involving them. Gasol, who has a slightly less lucrative salary and a shorter-term deal, has a bit more trade value, but hasn’t been at his best so far this season, limiting his appeal to potential suitors.

For his part, Gasol says he’s happy the front office is willing to stick with the current group a little longer. However, as MacMahon details, the veteran center acknowledges that the Grizzlies’ stance may change quickly if the team doesn’t start winning.

“You know how brutal and how the reality is in the NBA and how much things can change fast, so you’ve got to really do the most and get the most out of every minute that you’re able to,” Gasol said. “Obviously, you appreciate the confidence and the trust that they’re showing in myself and Mike, because maybe the next step once you try to fix it by replacing the head coach, then it’s your big guns, try to change them, too. That may be the natural step, but they’re sticking with us.”

Conley Expected Back In Two To Three Weeks

November 29th, 2017 at 8:32pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mike Conley is making progress with his injured left heel and Achilles and should return in two to three weeks, according to a story on the Grizzlies’ website. The point guard has responded well to therapy and treatment to promote healing, the team says.

Grizzlies Notes: Gasol, Fizdale, Pera

November 29th, 2017 at 12:44pm CST by Luke Adams

Marc Gasol acknowledged this week that his relationship with former Grizzlies coach David Fizdale was rocky, and confirmed that he has spoken to Grizzlies owner Robert Pera since Sunday. However, Gasol says that conversation with Pera happened after team management had made its decision to fire Fizdale, as Ronald Tillery of The Memphis Commercial Appeal details.

“They called me after the decision was made to let me know the direction they were going,” Gasol said. The veteran center also dismissed the idea that he’s a “coach killer,” indicating that he never asked the Grizzlies to let go of Fizdale.

“I never try to accomplish anything like that,” Gasol said. “I always have (the coach’s) back… It’s shocking but it’s the nature of this business. Next time, it might be me. Next time it might be somebody else. The franchise is bigger than any player or coach. We’ve all got to be ready (for change).”

Here’s more from out of Memphis:

Two people with knowledge of the situation tell Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today that there was “little to no communication” between Fizdale and Gasol for the better part of 10 months. While Sunday’s fourth-quarter benching of Gasol was a tipping point, the situation had been bad for quite some time, per the USA Today duo.
In an in-depth and interesting piece for The Commercial Appeal, Chris Herrington takes a closer look at what the Fizdale firing says about Fizdale, Gasol, Memphis’ front office, team ownership, and more.
Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders explores whether it makes more sense for the Grizzlies to fully rebuild their roster or to simply retool it.
After a couple off-days, the Grizzlies will return to action on Wednesday night in San Antonio, as the team looks to snap its eight-game losing streak. It will be J.B. Bickerstaff‘s first game as Memphis’ interim head coach.

Rade Zagorac To Play In Spain

November 28th, 2017 at 3:08pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Grizzlies forward Rade Zagorac will continue his career in Spain, having signed a contract with ACB club Real Betis, according to agent Misko Raznatovic (Twitter link). Zagorac previously appeared poised to return to his home country of Serbia for the 2017/18 season, but will head elsewhere in Europe after that deal fell through.

As international basketball reporter David Pick explains (via Twitter), Zagorac had reached a verbal agreement on a deal with KK Partizan Belgrade that would have kept him under contract with the Serbian team through 2019. However, Partizan Belgrade had been hit with a FIBA sanction that prevented them from adding new players, meaning Zagorac’s deal couldn’t be finalized.

Zagorac, 22, was the 35th overall pick in the 2016 draft, and after spending one final season overseas, he joined the Grizzlies earlier this year. However, despite signing a contract that was fully guaranteed for two seasons, the 6’9″ forward was unable to earn a spot on Memphis’ regular season roster. The club waived him along with fellow 2016 draftee Wade Baldwin at the end of the preseason.

With Zagorac headed to Spain, the Grizzlies continue to carry $950K in dead money on their 2017/18 cap for the former second-rounder, plus about $1.38MM for 2018/19. However, the club hasn’t given up on the idea of eventually trying to bring the young forward back to Memphis, as Ronald Tillery of The Memphis Commercial Appeal noted last month.

Latest On Fizdale Firing: Notes, Reactions, More

November 28th, 2017 at 12:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to reporters today at a press conference, Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace acknowledged that there was tension between star center Marc Gasol and head coach David Fizdale, and confirmed that was a factor in the team’s decision to fire Fizdale. However, according to Wallace, it wasn’t the overriding factor, as Ronald Tillery of The Memphis Commercial Appeal relays.

“We needed to have a change to try to save the season,” Wallace said. “Looking at where we were headed, there just weren’t a great deal of positive trends. We hope to get a positive reboot.”

Despite ongoing trade speculation, Gasol will be a major part of that “positive reboot,” according to the Grizzlies. New interim head coach J.B. Bickerstaff indicated today that he plans to lean heavily on the club’s three-time All-Star center going forward.

“Marc is one of the leaders of this team,” Bickerstaff said. “We need Marc to play his best basketball. In order for us to be the team we want to be a ton of the that responsibility falls on Marc’s shoulders. We need him to be Marc Gasol.”

Here’s more on Fizdale and the Grizzlies, as the NBA world continues to react to Monday’s news:

In the wake of his dismissal, Fizdale issued a magnanimous statement to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN thanking the Grizzlies and the city of Memphis for the opportunity to represent them.
The Grizzlies need to come to grips with the fact that the Gasol Era in Memphis is over, argues Chris Mannix of The Vertical. Mannix also passes along a couple more tidbits about the Gasol/Fizdale relationship, along with quotes from Stan Van Gundy, who was “shocked” by the Grizzlies’ decision.
Firing Fizdale won’t solve the Grizzlies’ problems, says Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. Meanwhile, Sam Amick of USA Today writes that Fizdale’s firing reinforces the idea that the NBA is a star-driven league.
Fizdale’s ouster doesn’t come as a major surprise to Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders, who tweets that Grizzlies owner Robert Pera tried to fire Dave Joerger three games into his head coaching career. Memphis opened the 2013/14 season – Joerger’s first year – with a 1-2 record.
Is a return to Miami the next move for Fizdale? Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said today that he’d embrace bringing back Fizdale as a consultant. However, having the former Heat assistant return in his previous role isn’t being discussed at the moment, since Fizdale plans to take the rest of the year off from coaching, per Spoelstra (Twitter links via Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel and Andre Fernandez of The Miami Herald).

Grizzlies Rumors: Gasol, Fizdale, Next Steps

November 28th, 2017 at 10:11am CST by Luke Adams

Although Marc Gasol expressed displeasure with his fourth-quarter benching on Sunday, there was no “him-or-me” mandate from Gasol to Grizzlies management that led to David Fizdale‘s ouster on Monday, league sources tell Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link).

The Grizzlies’ decision to fire Fizdale did create the impression that the team was choosing Gasol over its head coach, but it may not be that simple, writes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. Prior to Fizdale’s dismissal, speculation about a possible Gasol trade was beginning to gain steam. If the club had retained Fizdale and Gasol’s frustration led to a trade demand, it would have become more difficult for Memphis to move him. By avoiding that scenario, the Grizzlies can ensure that the veteran’s center trade value remains high, if they decide to consider that possibility.

“I don’t think [the Grizzlies] are done making changes,” one league executive told Deveney on Monday. “They could still move Gasol, they could still go into a rebuilding situation, but it would be harder if Gasol was saying he wants out. They have had plenty of offers for Gasol, and they have a couple of months to sort out whether they pull the trigger. But don’t be surprised if they do, even after this.”

Here’s more on the Grizzlies:

The Celtics and Raptors are among the clubs that could be suitors for Gasol if the Grizzlies entertain offers, according to both Deveney and Forbes’ Mitch Lawrence. Lawrence identifies the Cavaliers and Trail Blazers as other teams that would have interest in the three-time All-Star. It would be tricky for some of those teams to put together viable packages for Gasol and his $22.6MM+ salary.
Fizdale had the support of many of the Grizzlies’ younger players, so his firing may widen a divide between the youngsters and the veterans on Memphis’ roster, says Deveney. The Sporting News scribe also observes that Fizdale is exactly the kind of positive coach and teacher a team would want during a rebuild, meaning the Grizzlies may miss him if they go in that direction.
Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer lays out the case for why a full-fledged rebuild might make the most sense for the Grizzlies at this point.
While much has been made of Gasol’s role in Fizdale’s firing, former NBA swingman and current ESPN analyst Stephen Jackson set his sights on Chandler Parsons. As AJ Neuharth-Keusch of USA Today details, Jackson suggested that the lack of production the Grizzlies have received from a max-salary player like Parsons put Fizdale at a major disadvantage.

Gasol, Fizdale Tensions Went Far Beyond Benching

November 27th, 2017 at 7:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Grizzlies center Marc Gasol and former coach David Fizdale had such a strained relationship that they rarely spoke to one another, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal’s Geoff Calkins. Fizdale was fired on Monday, one day after he benched his leading scorer, rebounder and shotblocker in the fourth quarter against the Nets. The benching served as the breaking point and Gasol, who has a tight relationship with owner Robert Pera, had expressed major concerns about the team’s direction under Fizdale, Calkins continues.

Commercial Appeal beat writer Ronald Tillery confirms the longterm disconnect between coach and star player. A team source told Tillery that the tension between them and Sunday’s benching weren’t the only reasons that Fizdale was axed. That source said the team was “trending down in several categories.” However, Tillery tweets that as recently as Saturday, a source close to the owner said that Fizdale’s job was safe because of the team’s injury issues. That’s an indication that Sunday’s incident swiftly changed Pera’s thinking.

In other reactions to Fizdale’s dismissal:

Cavaliers stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade both expressed their dismay on social media, demanding answers regarding the firing, as Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com relays. Both played under Fizdale when he was an assistant with the Heat.
Interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff is one of the potential long-term replacements for Fizdale but Sean Deveney of the Sporting News lists several other intriguing names. Former head coaches Mark Jackson, David Blatt and Monty Williams, former player Shane Battier, and several current college coaches such as Tony Bennett, Patrick Ewing and John Calipari are some of the candidates Memphis could look at, according to Deveney.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/27/17

November 27th, 2017 at 5:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Here are the G League moves from around the NBA today:

The Knicks assigned guard Ron Baker to their Westchester affiliate and he’s expected to play tonight against the Windy City Bulls, according to a tweet from their PR department. Baker has already appeared in two G League games this season, averaging 13.0 PPG in 36.1 MPG.
The Rockets recalled center Zhou Qi from the RGV Vipers, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets. That’s an indication that his sore calf would have prevented him from playing with the Vipers tonight, Feigen adds. Zhou missed the Vipers’ game on Saturday and the recall will allow him to get treatment from Houston’s medical staff.
The Grizzlies assigned power forward Ivan Rabb to their affiliate, the Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies media relations department tweets. The second-rounder out of Cal has already played six G League games, averaging 19.0 PPG and 9.7 RPG in 28.6 MPG.
The Jazz assigned center Tony Bradley to the Salt Lake City Stars, according to the team’s Twitter feed (Twitter link). The big man out of North Carolina scored 20 points in his only previous G League appearance.
The Nets recalled guard Isaiah Whitehead from the Long Island Nets prior to their game against the Rockets, according to a team press release. He has played two G League games, averaging 29.0 PPG, 8.5 RPG and 3.5 APG in 37.3 MPG.

Grizzlies Fire Head Coach David Fizdale

November 27th, 2017 at 3:50pm CST by Luke Adams

3:50pm: The Grizzlies have issued a press release formally announcing that they’ve parted ways with Fizdale.

“After a thorough evaluation, I decided a change in course was necessary to move forward and provide the team and organization its best chance at success this season and beyond,” Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace said in a statement. “Coach Fizdale represented the Grizzlies and City of Memphis proudly, and we wish him well as he continues his career.”

3:26pm: The Grizzlies have fired head coach David Fizdale, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Associate head coach J.B. Bickerstaff will take over as Memphis’ interim head coach with Fizdale gone, Wojnarowski reports.

Fizdale’s ouster comes as a surprise, but the Grizzlies hit a low point on Sunday when a home loss to Brooklyn extended the team’s losing streak to eight games. In the wake of that defeat, star center Marc Gasol questioned Fizdale’s decision to bench him in the fourth quarter, expressing anger and confusion at not getting to play while the game slipped away from the Grizzlies.

Still, Fizdale did a solid job last season in his first stint as a head coach, leading the Grizzlies to a 43-39 record and a playoff berth. The team had also gotten off to a good start this season, winning seven of its first 11 games despite losing veteran leaders Zach Randolph, Vince Carter, and Tony Allen in the offseason. Memphis’ recent losing skid has taken place with standout point guard Mike Conley sidelined due to an Achilles injury.

Given Fizdale’s respectable on-court results, it seems probable that the Grizzlies made the change due to concerns about his relationship with Gasol and other Memphis players. According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Twitter link), the word out of Memphis in the offseason suggested that Gasol and Fizdale were already on poor terms, with some confrontations taking place in practice. Firing Fizdale this early in the season should send a signal to Gasol that the franchise is fully committed to its veteran center.

Before joining the Grizzlies, Fizdale as served a highly-regarded assistant coach in Miami, and Chris Mannix of The Vertical suggests (via Twitter) that it wouldn’t be surprising to see him eventually rejoin the Heat. However, it’s not clear if Fizdale will seek out a new job as soon as possible or if he’ll wait until after the 2017/18 season to try to return to the coaching ranks.

As for Bickerstaff, this is the second time in the last three seasons that he’ll take over as the interim head coach of an NBA team. Following Kevin McHale‘s ouster in Houston in November 2015, Bickerstaff – a veteran assistant with the Rockets at the time – assumed head coaching duties. However, when the Rockets sought out a permanent head coach after the season, Bickerstaff withdrew his name from consideration as the team opted to hire Mike D’Antoni.

After a year in which no NBA team made a coaching change, Fizdale is the second head coach to be dismissed since the 2017/18 season began — Earl Watson of the Suns was the first.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Marc Gasol Upset After Fourth-Quarter Benching

November 27th, 2017 at 8:27am CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies’ struggles continued on Sunday, with the team dropping its eighth straight game and falling to 7-12 on the season. Three-time All-Star Marc Gasol is Memphis’ veteran leader with Mike Conley sidelined, but Gasol didn’t see the court during the fourth quarter of the club’s home loss to the Nets on Sunday, leaving him upset and confused, writes Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal.

As Tillery details, head coach David Fizdale decided to keep rolling with a lineup that had cut a 19-point deficit to just five points, indicating later that he wasn’t trying to send a message to his veteran center. But Gasol said after the game that he wasn’t given an explanation by the coaching staff, and called it an “awkward situation.”

“I don’t like it one bit,” Gasol told reporters after the game. “I’m more (angry) than I can show, and frustrated. But for the benefit of the team, I’ve got to show good leadership and continue to do my job.

“If I start venting, that would be counterproductive,” Gasol added. “But at the end of the day, I’m as competitive as anybody. I hate not playing. That’s what I value most. If I’m not out there, I’m not valued. I’m sure they knew that would hurt me the most.”

Gasol is hardly the first star to be benched in the fourth quarter when a different lineup has some success, but this is still a situation worth monitoring closely. Coming into the season, Gasol was viewed as a player who could become a trade candidate if Memphis struggled in the first half. The Grizzlies have given no indication that they’d consider moving the 32-year-old, and even at 7-12, they’re only 1.5 games out of a playoff spot. Still, if the club continues to lose and there’s tension between Gasol and the coaching staff, the idea of a trade becomes more viable.

Following the 2017/18 season, Gasol has one more guaranteed year on his contract, then a player option for 2019/20. He and Conley are considered the core players Memphis is building around, though Gasol suggested on Sunday night that he doesn’t believe the team would have done to Conley what it did to him.

“You don’t put Mike back in? I’m sure they wouldn’t do it to Mike,” Gasol said. “I don’t know. It’s just the way it is. You have to deal with it. But I’m not just going to lay down and take it. … You try to prove them wrong. I should be playing in the fourth quarter. I think I’ve proven that different times. I’m not just going to accept not playing in the fourth quarter and be happy with it. That’s not my character.”