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Grizzlies Interview Jeff Bzdelik

May 19th, 2016 at 6:26pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Grizzlies have interviewed Jeff Bzdelik for their head coaching position, Marc. J Spears of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). Spears adds that Bzdelik recently turned down an assistant coaching position on the Kings’ staff for personal reasons (Twitter link).

Bzdelik interviewed with the Rockets today in Cleveland and Spears indicates that the interview with Memphis happened before that meeting. The 63-year-old coach has been an assistant coach with Memphis since the 2014/15 season.

Bzdelik was the head coach of the Nuggets for three seasons, starting in the 2002/03 campaign and compiled a record of 73-119 with the team. He also spent 11 years as a head coach in the college ranks with stops at UMBC, Air Force, Colorado and Wake Forest. He only made the NCAA Tournament once.

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Southwest Notes: Grizzlies, Anderson, Terry

May 18th, 2016 at 4:09pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Grizzlies spoke with at least two candidates today as their search for a new coach heats up. Heat assistant David Fizdale came to Memphis for an interview, tweets Marc J. Spears of ESPN.com., as did Portland assistant Nate Tibbetts, according to Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal (Twitter link). Both had been previously named as candidates for the job.

Spurs assistant James Borrego impressed Grizzlies officials during his interview earlier this week, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Memphis has also held interviews with Spurs assistant Ettore Messina, Hornets assistant Patrick Ewing and recently fired Pacers coach Frank Vogel (Twitter link). The Grizzlies have significant interest in Vogel, according to ESPN, but so does Orlando (Twitter link).

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

  • Pelicans free agent Ryan Anderson says he was nearly traded to Cleveland at the deadline, relays Brett Dawson of The Advocate. Appearing on “The Vertical Podcast,” Anderson contends the Cavaliers were trying to work out a deal for him before they picked up Channing Frye from Orlando. “There was a very last-minute phone call that I could have gone to Cleveland,” Anderson said. “I would be playing for the Cavs right now.” Anderson said he didn’t ask the Pelicans to trade him because he wants to have the option in free agency of staying in New Orleans. Anderson’s last experience as a free agent came in 2012 when he was restricted and Orlando swung a deal to send him to the Pelicans. This time, he likes the feeling of being in complete control. “I want to enjoy this process and see where New Orleans is at this summer,” Anderson said. “I want to see where, I don’t know, Houston is at or Sacramento or Washington.”
  • The Spurs could be interested in power forward Thomas Robinson if he opts out of his deal with the Nets, according to Jabari Young of The San Antonio Express-News. Robinson would give up a little more than $980K by opting out, but he stands to make much more on the open market with the expected jump in the salary cap. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has talked about the need to rebuild the bench with younger players, and the 25-year-old Robinson, a former teammate of LaMarcus Aldridge in Portland, could be a possibility.
  • Rockets point guard Jason Terry thinks Dwight Howard would be a “great fit” with the Mavericks, but only if he adapts to coach Rick Carlisle, according to The Dallas Morning News. “Whatever [Howard’s] role is, he would have to be the one to buy in first, and then you go from there,” Terry said on ESPN Radio’s Cowlishaw and Mosley show. “But he and Dirk [Nowitzki] together? That’s a powerful combination.” The 38-year-old Terry adds that he hopes to play one more season before retiring.
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2015/16 D-League Usage Report: Grizzlies

May 18th, 2016 at 11:49am CST by Eddie Scarito

The NBA’s relationship with the D-League continues to grow, and this season a total of 19 NBA teams had one-to-one affiliations with D-League clubs. Those NBA organizations without their own affiliates were required to assign players to D-League clubs associated with other NBA franchises. D-League teams could volunteer to take on the assigned players, and if no volunteers emerged, the players were assigned at random.

This significant change from the 2014/15 season came about after the Pacers purchased the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and turned them into their one-to-one partner for the 2015/16 campaign. Other NBA teams have interest in following suit in the years ahead, and the NBA’s ultimate goal for the D-League is for all 30 NBA franchises to have their own D-League squads. You can view the complete list of D-League affiliates here.

We at Hoops Rumors are recapping the D-League-related activity for the 2015/16 campaign for each team and we’ll continue with the Memphis Grizzlies, whose D-League affiliate is the Iowa Energy:

The Grizzlies made 16 assignments for the 2015/16 season, sending three players to the D-League for a total of 86 days. Listed below are all the assignments and recalls made by Memphis for the 2015/16 campaign:

Here is how the Grizzlies’ players performed while on assignment to the D-League this season:

  • James Ennis: In 24 appearances Ennis averaged 18.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 33.3 minutes per outing. His shooting line was .454/.321/.697.
  • Jarell Martin: In 10 appearances Martin averaged 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 0.7 assists in 28.9 minutes per contest. His shooting numbers were .492/.286/.565.
  • Russ Smith: In 22 combined appearances with Iowa and Delaware (the Sixers’ affiliate), Smith averaged 27.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 7.8 assists in 37.0 minutes per outing. His shooting line was .460/.304/.778.
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Dave Joerger Talks Memphis Exit; Grizz Work Out Wes Washpun

May 16th, 2016 at 1:37pm CST by Luke Adams
  • Former Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger – who is now the coach in Sacramento – spoke to Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal about the end of his tenure in Memphis, insisting that his relationship with team management was “excellent.” “I wanted to prove to them that I was the guy to go forward for many years. They didn’t feel so,” Joerger said. “But we move on with a lot of fond memories.”
  • The Grizzlies brought in Northern Iowa guard Wes Washpun to participate in a group workout on Monday, per Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops (Twitter link). Washpun previously worked out for the Jazz and Hawks.
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Grizzlies Talk To Spurs Assistant James Borrego

May 15th, 2016 at 9:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Grizzlies met with Spurs assistant James Borrego today about their head coaching job, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Borrego spent 30 games as interim head coach in Orlando last season before joining the Spurs at the start of this season.

Wojnarowski notes that Borrego is among several assistants the Grizzlies are considering, along with Charlotte’s Patrick Ewing, Miami’s David Fizdale, Portland’s Nate Tibbetts and San Antonio’s Ettore Messina. A source says Memphis is going through initial meetings with candidates and the list could get even larger.

Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger was fired eight days ago after requesting permission to interview for other coaching jobs. The Kings hired him Monday, giving him a four-year deal worth $16MM.

 

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Grizzlies Unlikely To Draft Power Forward

May 15th, 2016 at 11:01am CST by Dana Gauruder
  • The Grizzlies are unlikely to use their first-round pick on a power forward, Chris Herrington of the Memphis Commercial-Appeal opines. Memphis, which holds the No. 17 pick, drafted Jarell Martin last June and the team views him as their future starter at the position, though he underwent a foot procedure after the postseason, Herrington continues. Zach Randolph still has at least one more quality season in him and JaMychal Green can bridge the gap between Randolph and Martin, Herrington adds.
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Latest On Grizzlies Coaching Search

May 14th, 2016 at 8:00am CST by Eddie Scarito

8:00pm: The Grizzlies have received permission to interview Tibbetts, tweets Chris Haynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer.

10:04am: Memphis has been granted permission by San Antonio to interview Messina, Spears relays (via Twitter).

9:26am: The Grizzlies have requested and been granted permission by the Heat to interview assistant head coach David Fizdale for their vacant head coaching position, Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated reports (Twitter links). The date of the sit down has yet to be determined, Spears adds. Miami is scheduled to square off against the Raptors on Sunday in the deciding game of their seven game playoff series. Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical was the first to relay that Memphis would have interest in speaking with Fizdale.

Fizdale, 41, has been on the Heat’s coaching staff since 2008 and has been a part of two NBA Championship teams during his tenure. He has also served as an assistant coach for the Warriors (2003/04) and Hawks (2004-2008).

Former Pacers coach Frank Vogel is widely believed to be the front-runner for the Memphis job, as Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal wrote in a story about a meeting that took place this week between GM Chris Wallace and former Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins. Wallace has downplayed the significance of that rendezvous. Memphis interviewed Hornets assistant Patrick Ewing on Thursday for the post. Ex-Suns coach Jeff Hornacek, Spurs assistant Ettore Messina, and Blazers assistant Nate Tibbetts are also among those on the team’s list of candidates, as Wojnarowski reported.

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Draft Combine Update: Friday Afternoon

May 13th, 2016 at 3:29pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Celtics have a tentative workout scheduled with Duke small forward Brandon Ingram, a prime contender to become the No. 1 pick, reports Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald (Twitter link). The outcome of the lottery will determine whether it takes place, according to Murphy, and presumably, the Celtics will have to land one of the top two selections. Ingram is the top prospect in Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress rankings and second in the listings Chad Ford of ESPN.com compiles.

See more draft news on day three of the combine:

  • Syracuse shooting guard Malachi Richardson and Kansas forward/center Cheick Diallo have told teams they’ve decided to stay in the draft rather than pull out by May 25th to retain their college eligibility, reports Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
  • The Pacers, Warriors, Spurs, Wizards, Rockets and Mavericks are among the teams that have spoken with Syracuse swingman Michael Gbinije, tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.
  • Notre Dame point guard Demetrius Jackson has interviewed with the Suns, Spurs, Kings, Trail Blazers and Bucks, observes Rod Beard of The Detroit News, who also cites Jackson’s previously reported interview with the Pistons.
  • Villanova shooting guard Josh Hart has worked out for the Clippers and has another workout scheduled with the Hawks on May 24th, as Zagoria relays. He’ll also work out for the Celtics and Spurs, and his previously reported workout with the Sixers takes place Monday, Zagoria reveals. The Knicks, Wizards, Thunder, Trail Blazers, Pacers, Grizzlies and Jazz interviewed Hart at the combine, according to Zagoria.
  • Purdue big man Caleb Swanigan has the Pistons, Hawks, Wizards and Suns among the teams on his interview list, Zagoria tweets.
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Grizzlies Interview Patrick Ewing

May 13th, 2016 at 1:10pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Grizzlies interviewed Patrick Ewing for their head coaching vacancy Thursday, league sources told Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Ewing previously interviewed for the Kings job before it went to Dave Joerger, Berger notes, and he’s also a candidate for the Magic head coaching gig, as Berger reported earlier. The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski first identified Ewing as among those in the running for Memphis.

Ewing, a Hornets assistant, would seemingly signal a further commitment to the inside-oriented attack that’s defined the Grizzlies for the past several years. The 53-year-old Hall-of-Fame player has made no secret over the years of his strong desire to become a head coach, an endeavor that seems to have gained momentum this spring, given the interest from teams.

Former Pacers coach Frank Vogel is widely believed to be the front-runner for the Memphis job, as Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal wrote in a story about a meeting that took place this week between GM Chris Wallace and former Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins. Wallace has downplayed the significance of that rendezvous. The Grizzlies have reached out to Vogel’s representatives, and ex-Suns coach Jeff Hornacek, Spurs assistant Ettore Messina, Blazers assistant Nate Tibbets and Heat assistant David Fizdale are also among those on the team’s list of candidates, as Wojnarowski reported.

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Draft Combine Update: Friday Morning

May 13th, 2016 at 10:29am CST by Chuck Myron

Skal Labissiere‘s impressive private workout on Wednesday didn’t quite measure up to the hype, contends Chad Ford of ESPN.com in an Insider-only piece, who pegs the draft range for the Kentucky big man as No. 9 to No. 20. The Suns and Kings are among the teams Labissiere has interviewed with at the combine, tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv, echoing previous reports about interviews with Philadelphia and New Orleans. Ford’s sources remain solidly in the camp of Ben Simmons over Brandon Ingram for the top overall pick, while it appears it’s a battle between Jamal Murray and Kris Dunn for the No. 3 pick, Ford hears. Still, no one had a more impressive combine showing Thursday than Cheick Diallo, a high second-round prospect, according to Ford. Both his strengths and weaknesses were on display, as Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress detail. The Kansas center/forward says he’ll probably remain in the draft, as Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv details, adding the Warriors, Mavericks, Nets, Sixers, Knicks and Raptors to the list of teams he’s interviewing with at the combine.

See more updates as the combine continues:

  • The Lakers interviewed Ingram, notes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
  • The Bulls, Hawks, Kings, Spurs and Rockets are among the teams interviewing Cal swingman Jaylen Brown, as he told reporters and as Basketball Insiders relays in a video. Also on the list are Boston and Minnesota, as we passed along earlier.
  • UNLV shooting guard Patrick McCaw listed the Raptors, Bucks, Hornets, Cavaliers and Heat, as well as a previously reported meeting with Boston, among his interviews, as Basketball Insiders relays in another video.
  • Wisconsin power forward Nigel Hayes will work out for the Suns, Celtics and Knicks, reports Sean Deveney of The Sporting News (Twitter link). Ford heard some negativity surrounding his performance Thursday.
  • The Pelicans, Knicks, Mavericks, Hornets and Lakers are the previously unreported teams on the interview list for Maryland point guard Melo Trimble, as J. Michael of CSN Mid-Atlantic relays. Ford heard from NBA types down on Trimble’s showing Thursday.
  • Former Iona combo guard A.J. English met with the Pelicans and will do so with the Wizards and Nets, Zagoria tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.
  • The Spurs, Warriors, Nuggets and Grizzlies are the previously unreported teams interviewing Seton Hall shooting guard Isaiah Whitehead, Zagoria relays (Twitter link). He’ll work out for the Sixers on Monday, the Pacers on Wednesday, the Celtics on May 20th and the Bulls on May 23rd, a source tells Zach Braziller of the New York Post (Twitter links). Boston, Indiana and Chicago are particularly interested in him, Braziller hears.
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