The Memphis Grizzlies have been the quietest team among the various NBA franchises that entered this offseason in need of a new coach. The Knicks have been making plans with numerous big name coaches, the Suns and Hornets have been lining up interviews, and even the Magic have been named in a few rumors, but the Grizzlies have stayed pretty quiet.
Memphis is in an interesting situation in that their team tanked its way to the No. 2 spot in the draft lottery this past season, but did so without that being the initial plan entering the year. Once Mike Conley went down the team spiraled out of control, leading to David Fizdale’s firing after butting heads with Marc Gasol and J.B. Bickerstaff being promoted to interim head coach.
With Conley expected back next year and a high draft pick coming their way, the Grizzlies are in a very interesting position and could have been an intriguing landing spot for the many top NBA coaching candidates. However, it appears the Grizzlies were pleased with the job Bickerstaff did, all things considered, as Yahoo Sports’ Shams Charania reports Memphis is moving ahead with plans to hire him full time.
The Memphis Grizzlies and interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff are working on a framework of deal to make Bickerstaff the new head coach, league sources tell Yahoo.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 26, 2018
It’s a curious decision for a number of reasons, but no matter what you think of Bickerstaff as a coach it’s strange that they are apparently foregoing any semblance of a true coaching search. Bickerstaff’s head coaching record is not strong at 52-82, but given that he’s been thrust into interim roles in Houston and Memphis that’s not necessarily an indication of his abilities if given a chance to truly implement what he wants to do.
It’s possible Memphis gauged interest from the top coaches on the market and determined the prospects weren’t great, but one would think they’d want to talk with other candidates to do their due diligence and ensure Bickerstaff was the right choice, which he very well may be. In any case, it appears Bickerstaff, who has been an assistant in the league since 2004 and a lead assistant on various staffs.
