J.B. Bickerstaff Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Grizzlies Notes: Bickerstaff, M. Brooks, Selden, Carter

December 16th, 2018 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

As bizarre as the circumstances were surrounding Friday’s failed three-team trade, it’s not the first time Grizzlies coach J.B. Bickerstaff has experienced that type of situation, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Bickerstaff was serving as interim coach of the Rockets in 2016 when the team traded Donatas Motiejunas to the Pistons, who later voided the deal because of injury concerns.

“The guy we brought back, D-Mo, was a high character kid so there wasn’t concern about him having a negative impact on the locker room or anything like that,” Bickerstaff said. “The emotion that they feel is more of a personal emotion. I don’t think it’s necessarily something that’s aimed at the team or a group of guys. But there’s thoughts in your mind that you go through.”

Bickerstaff offered an apology yesterday to Wayne Selden and MarShon Brooks, whom the organization intended to move to Phoenix in the deal. The trade collapsed over apparent confusion over whether the Suns were getting MarShon or Dillon Brooks.

“It’s a difficult situation for people to be put in,” Bickerstaff said. “Guys who have shown up and worked every day and did everything we asked them to do. Felt bad for them. From the coaching side, I thought the right thing to do was apologize and let them know we understand how it feels, how we appreciate in the last 24 hours how they handled it because they could have handled it in a much worse way.”

There’s more today from Memphis:

MarShon Brooks’ mother learned of the trade on social media during Friday’s game and tried to tell her son about it from the crowd, tweets Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian. However, she was too far away for Brooks to figure out what she was saying. “I’m not frustrated with the situation,” Brooks said about the canceled deal. “It’s a business. I understand that. I will say this though: When guys like a Jimmy Butler or Kevin Durant go to different teams and want to play where they want to play, you see why. It’s a business, on both sides.” (Twitter link)
Memphis may have found a gem in second-round pick Jevon Carter, Herrington writes in a full story. Carter had 11 points and two steals in his NBA debut Saturday and displayed the defensive prowess the Grizzlies were counting on when they drafted him. “It’s just a part of the game. It’s a process,” Carter said of starting his career in the G League. “Every day I come in here, I work, and I just wait. I just give my best effort — being a good teammate on the bench for these guys. I love these guys, so whatever I can do to help is what I’ll do.”
Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace gave his thoughts on the trade fiasco last night, insisting his team wasn’t responsible for any confusion.

Southwest Notes: Anthony, Okafor, Randle, Grizzlies

September 30th, 2018 at 10:02pm CST by JD Shaw

Carmelo Anthony is looking to make the game fun again in his first season with the Rockets, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. Anthony is set to enter his 16th professional season, with the 34-year-old having his vision set on winning an NBA championship.

“Just enjoy the game and play basketball … I’ve been doing it for a long time,” Anthony said. “I still know how to do it. I’ve just got to make it fun. The game just has to be fun.”

The Rockets are expected to be a championship contender this season, with the team featuring a deep bench, star center and All-Star backcourt of Chris Paul and James Harden. The level of production Anthony gives will help determine how far the team gets in its journey.

“He’s a great basketball player, so we just try to make it optimal for him and us,” head coach Mike D’Antoni said. “It’s always a little bit of a challenge, but if you had asked me the same question (last year) about James and Chris I would have said the same thing: ‘Well, it looks good. I’m excited.’ So same thing with him.”

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

Pelicans center Jahlil Okafor will undergo an MRI on Monday after suffering an ankle injury during Sunday’s preseason game, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. Okafor left the arena on crutches with his ankle taped.
Over 25 teams expressed a level of interest in Julius Randle during his brief time as a free agent, according to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. Randle eventually chose to sign a two-year deal with the Pelicans.
Grizzlies head coach J.B. Bickerstaff hopes Garrett Temple‘s impact on the team doesn’t go unnoticed, Drew Hill of the Memphis Commercial Appeal writes. “I’m used to (going unnoticed). It’s normal to me,” Temple said. “But, I’m glad that (Bickerstaff) sees my value. The people in the locker room and the people in this organization, at this point, those are the only ones that matter.”

Grizzlies’ Bickerstaff Talks Upcoming Season

September 12th, 2018 at 8:20pm CST by clarkcrum

Earlier this week, the Memphis Business Council hosted an event known as the “The Game Plan of Memphis Basketball.” A special guest of the event was Grizzlies head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. And as Mark Giannotto of The Commercial Appeal relays, there were plenty of questions to be answered by the Grizzlies’ head man, as noted below.

What is the team’s strength this season?

“IQ and intelligence… We got a bunch of guys that know how to think the game and if you can think the game, you can make up for some of the things that we lack. If you look at our team, and I hope this doesn’t offend any of our guys, we’re not the fastest of teams. But we have to be able to use our brains to put us in spots so that we can defend well and score the ball because we’re always one or two steps ahead of our opponent.”

What were the highlights of the team’s offseason?

“We’re going to be a completely different team than you guys saw at the end of last season. Our front office and ownership group have done a great job bringing in different players with different skill sets that kind of fit the theme and the direction that we’re heading in. We’re not as young as we used to be. We’ve brought in some proven, veteran guys like Kyle Anderson, Garrett Temple, Shelvin Mack, those type of guys, who can accentuate what Marc (Gasol) can do.”

How will the team look on the court?

“We’ve been preaching playing a unique style of basketball. Obviously, not reinventing the wheel but playing a game where size, physicality and toughness prevails. I think we’re fortunate that we have some big guys, some long guys, that are very skilled as well, so that they can do both… So we’re fortunate to have guys that can do those things, so that’s where we’re headed. Our guys are excited about it in the conversations we’ve had with them and I think we’re built for it.”

What is Kyle Anderson‘s role?

“He’ll be used at his strengths, which is versatility. He can play multiple positions. He can impact the game on both sides of the floor. I’ve been impressed, just going back and watching him and seeing him, is just how smart he is and how easily he thinks the game. Very rarely do you find him in the wrong spot, offensively or defensively, and he’s always doing something to help his teammates. I think guys like that are invaluable and his ability to play one through four, you can throw him on the floor at any position.”

Will Mike Conley be healthy for training camp?

“There’s no doubt about it. Mike’s been playing pick up, those types of things. Chandler (Parsons has) been playing pick up … For the first time in a long time, we’re looking at walking into training camp with healthy bodies and healthy, high caliber players. Not just guys who would be your 13th or 14th man. We’ve got our studs healthy, which we’re looking forward to.”

What are your hopes for Chandler Parsons?

“Just that he plays games. I think the hardest thing for him is battling with the injuries, and being in and being out, and then trying to catch a rhythm. The more games he plays, he’s proven, even last year in a short amount of time, when he played games in a row, he proved that he could be an effective player and he’s a talented basketball player. We just got to make sure he’s on the floor.”

Why will the bench be better this season?

“The key in all of this is having some experience when you’re trying to win like we’re trying to do. So having guys that have proven they can play in this league, they’re not second guessing themselves, and every single night, from a coaching standpoint, you know what you’re going to get out of guys, is huge… Not to take anything away from our young guys that were here with us last year, they were competing. They were giving it everything they had. They worked hard at it. But again, when you’re young, there’s always those ups and downs and you’re battling that inconsistency.”

Southwest Rumors: Potapenko, Cousins, Mavs Draft, Rockets

June 15th, 2018 at 5:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Vitaly Potapenko and Greg Buckner are among the assistants named to J.B. Bickerstaff’s staff with the Grizzlies, according to a team press release. Potapenko had been the Cavaliers’ assistant director of player development since 2013, while Buckner is a holdover from last season’s staff. As previously announced, Jerry Stackhouse will also be a top assistant for Bickerstaff. Stackhouse, who coached the Raptors’ G League the past two seasons, interviewed for several head coaching jobs. Chad Forcier, an assistant under Frank Vogel with the Magic the last two seasons, has also joined the staff along with Nick Van Exel and Adam Mazarei.

In other developments around the Southwest Division:

DeMarcus Cousins will most likely stay put with the Pelicans but there are three other Western Conference teams where the big man would be a good fit, HoopsHype tweets. The Mavericks, Lakers and Spurs are the most likely landing spots for Cousins if he leaves New Orleans, HoopsHype adds.
A draft night trade with the Bulls might make sense for the Mavericks, Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News speculates. Dallas owns the No. 5 pick with Chicago slotted at No. 7. If Michael Porter Jr. and Trae Young go a little higher than anticipated, the Mavs could move down and either Mohamed Bamba, Wendell Carter or Jaren Jackson would still be on the board, Cowlishaw points out.
Rockets fans should lower their expectations of potentially landing LeBron James or Paul George and simply hope GM Daryl Morey can upgrade a luxury-tax team with precious few young assets, Sean Deveney of Sports Illustrated opines. Giving Chris Paul a max contract will be a tough pill but one they’ll have to swallow to remain a prime contender, Deveney adds.

Grizzlies Owner Talks 2018/19, Goals, Bickerstaff

June 13th, 2018 at 11:53am CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies‘ 22-win season in 2017/18 was their worst showing since they posted an identical record in 2007/08, and snapped a streak of seven consecutive playoff appearances. However, controlling owner Robert Pera sounds confident that Memphis’ struggles last season can be primarily attributed to injuries and bad luck, as Ronald Tillery of The Memphis Commercial Appeal details. Pera expects the club to be “competitive” once again in 2018/19, assuming it can stay healthier.

Pera asserted those expectations during an appearance on the Grind City Media podcast on the club’s official site, with Tillery passing along some of the highlights. As Tillery observes, the conversation didn’t touch on a number of issues that other local reporters might like to press Pera on, including David Fizdale‘s firing, Chandler Parsons‘ contract, and further details of the buy/sell process that allowed Pera to retain control of the franchise.

Still, Pera made a few interesting comments during the discussion. Here they are, via Tillery:

On his expectations for the 2018/19 season:

“Assuming Marc [Gasol] and Mike [Conley] come back healthy, I think we have a couple of surrounding pieces that are younger players that are going to make a positive impact. We’ll get another good player in this draft. I see no reason why we can’t return to being a 50-win plus team.”

On his goals now that he’s firmly entrenched as the Grizzlies’ controlling owner:

“I’d like to put my stamp on the team more now that the ownership situation is resolved. I’d like to apply some of the skills that made my company, Ubiquiti, successful. I also realize it’s a little bit different. With my company, I can make all the decisions on the long-term (vision). I can be kind of a dictator. With the team, there’s more elements than just the long-term picture. You have to have some transparency with the fans. … How you handle the media and the fans are almost as important as the long-term goals. It took me some time to find my bearings the last several years.”

On what it means to put his stamp on the franchise:

“The goal for the Grizzlies is that people know that if they take a player or find a player, this is [the] best organization in the league for realizing that player’s potential.”

On the promotion of J.B. Bickerstaff to the permanent head coaching position:

“We’ve had turnover in the head coaching spot and J.B. brings some continuity. The players have worked with him and the players all love him. He’s very transparent. He carries himself really well. He’ll compromise when he sees it’s best for the organization. I have confidence in him to be that centerpiece of the culture we want to build. He’s a great fit.”

Southwest Notes: Forcier, Capela, Rondo

May 4th, 2018 at 1:04pm CST by Austin Kent

The Grizzlies are finalizing a deal to bring Chad Forcier aboard as the lead assistant to recently appointed head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports writes.

Forcier most recently spent two years with the Magic but bounced around between some formidable Pistons, Pacers and Spurs teams from 2001 to 2016. In 2014, he won a title with San Antonio.

The Grizzlies formally announced their decision to give former interim head coach Bickerstaff the permanent head coaching gig earlier this week.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

For the fourth consecutive season, Clint Capela has rounded out his game. Now the 23-year-old plays a pivotal role for the contending Rockets and has established a foundation of trust with teammate James Harden, Tim MacMahon of ESPN documents the big man’s rise ahead of his pending free agency.
Veteran point guard Rajon Rondo sounds open to the idea of returning to the Pelicans, Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated writes. Rondo has played for four teams since 2014 but has performed particularly well, especially in the postseason, with New Orleans. Still, it may be tricky for the team to bring him back if he requires a sizable raise, since the Pelicans only hold his Non-Bird rights.
There’s no denying that Ben McLemore‘s first season with the Grizzlies was somewhat underwhelming but the 25-year-old remains convinced that his best basketball is ahead of him. Michael Wallace of Grind City Media writes that, in his defense, the swingman has had six head coaches in six seasons but notes that the Grizz may be wise to move on from the $5.5MM they owe him next season if possible.

Grizzlies Notes: Evans, Chalmers, Bickerstaff

May 2nd, 2018 at 9:07pm CST by clarkcrum

Throughout the entire second-half of the 2017/18 NBA season (i.e. after the trade deadline), the Grizzlies have maintained that they plan to re-sign guard Tyreke Evans to a new deal this summer, most likely with an offer for the non-taxpayer mid-level exception worth an estimated $8.6MM for the 2018/19 season.

This is because the Grizzlies only possess Non-Bird Rights on Evans, meaning the most they could pay him next season without the MLE or cap room is $3.948MM, 120% more than the $3.29MM he made this season.

And while the optimism in Memphis has not yet publicly waned, Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com writes that general manager Chris Wallace didn’t sound as convincing after the season that a successful pitch would be made to Evans in free agency as he did when he said the same thing after Evans was retained at the trade deadline.

As Wallace points out, Evans is unfortunately probably just as likely to sign a deal similar to Lou Williams – which would fit under the MLE – as he is to signing a one-year, high-paying contract, a la Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, for a team looking to clear cap space for the summer of 2019.

There’s more out of Memphis:

In another article for Grizzlies.com, Wallace focuses on veteran Mario Chalmers‘ pending free agency, writing that the soon to be 32-year-old point guard is likely only to return to the Grizzlies, if at all, as an end-of-free-agency option, likely on another minimum-salary contract.
New head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has not yet made any decisions on who he plans to hire onto his coaching staff, tweets Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal. Bickerstaff was just yesterday officially named head coach.
In a full article for The Commercial Appeal, Tillery reports that franchise cornerstone Marc Gasol is pleased with the hiring of Bickerstaff. “J.B. deserves a real shot at this without any restrictions,” Gasol said. “He has earned it… He’s always so positive. He always helps me understand, ‘Do your job. Control what you can control and the rest will take care of itself.’ Our communication has been really good. We’re both going in the same direction. And that’s important.” Both Gasol and Mike Conley were known supporters of Bickerstaff, so Gasol’s contentment should come as no surprise.

Grizzlies Officially Name J.B. Bickerstaff Head Coach

May 1st, 2018 at 11:20am CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies have made official what we learned last Thursday, announcing today in a press release that they’ve named J.B. Bickerstaff their permanent head coach. Bickerstaff had been serving as the club’s interim coach since replacing David Fizdale early in the 2017/18 regular season.

“J.B. did an admirable job as interim head coach last season in what was a challenging set of circumstances,” Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace said in a statement. “J.B. has connected with our players and earned their respect throughout his time in Memphis, and we have been pleased with his role in developing our young players. We are excited to see him coach with a full offseason and a healthy roster next season.”

Reports last week indicated that Bickerstaff’s new deal with the Grizzlies will cover three years, though Ronald Tillery of The Memphis Commercial Appeal tweets that the third year is a team option. If Grizzlies management likes what it sees from Bickerstaff in 2018/19, that option will probably be exercised before the 2019/20 season begins in order to avoid having the head coach enter that year as a lame duck.

After making seven straight appearances in the postseason, the Grizzlies fell out of playoff contention early in the 2017/18 campaign, battling through injuries to key players like Mike Conley, Tyreke Evans, and Chandler Parsons. Memphis went 15-48 with Bickerstaff at the helm, ultimately finishing with a 22-60 record. It was the NBA’s second-worst mark.

The Grizzlies will hold a formal press conference on Wednesday to re-introduce Bickerstaff as head coach.

Southwest Notes: Davis, Leonard, Spurs, Bickerstaff

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.

In other news around the Southwest Division:

The Spurs had two members in their organization in New York while Kawhi Leonard rehabbed his quad injury there, David Aldridge of NBA.com reports. That shows the team and Leonard’s representatives had regular communication despite the rift between the two parties. However, the disconnect appears to go well beyond whether Leonard should have returned to action, Aldridge adds.
The Spurs’ string of 21 straight postseason appearances could end next season if Leonard forces their hand and they trade him, Sean Deveney of Sporting News opines. The player option decisions of guard Danny Green and forward Rudy Gay will also impact where the team’s future is headed, Deveney continues. The team needs to add younger players and draft picks, especially if they put Leonard on the block, Deveney 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.

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.