Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale was fired after a 7-12 start, the team announced Monday afternoon.
Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale was fired after a 7-12 start this season and a conflict with the franchise’s all-star center, the team announced Monday afternoon.
The decision to relieve Fizdale of his duties came one day after he benched Marc Gasol for the fourth quarter of a loss Sunday to the Brooklyn Nets. Memphis has dropped eight straight games.
Gasol, who has a strong, personal relationship with majority owner Robert Pera, didn’t hide his displeasure with not playing down the stretch.
“I don’t like it one bit,” Gasol said. “I’m more (angry) than I can show, and frustrated.”
Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace met with Fizdale and delivered the news in person. There was a players-only meeting Monday night to discuss Fizdale’s departure.
Fizdale lasted slightly more than one season. He departed with a 50-51 record.
A source close to the decision confirmed that there was serious tension between Fizdale and Gasol over the past two seasons.
“That wasn’t the only reason (for Fizdale’s firing),” the source said. “You want to try to get some traction. We still have time to hopefully fix things and go on a run. We do have injury issues. There’s no question. But we’re just were trending down in several categories. We felt it was time to make a change.”
By late afternoon, news of the firing had already made its way to some of the patrons of The Bluff, a sports bar on Highland near the University of Memphis.
Drummond Liddell, 29, said he’d received an ESPN notification on his phone. «I was like, ‘Are you serious?’ It seemed very sudden.» He said he’d read a report about conflict between the coach and Gasol, and said it surprised him. «I did not realize that there was tension between the two.»
His wife Amanda Muir, 27, said she expects the Grizzlies will bounce back due to the team’s strong players. «It’s not the coach that makes the team great.»
Another patron, Robert Smith, 69, said he hadn’t been paying close attention to the team’s issues. «Until football season’s over, I really don’t follow basketball.»
Smith’s friend Leah Donahue, 61, said she thought money played a big role, because attendance drops off if a team isn’t winning. «It’s a shame,» she said.
Daniel Connolly contributed to this story.
Memphis, Tenn. – Memphis Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace today announced that the organization has relieved David Fizdale of his head coaching duties. Grizzlies associate head coach J. B. Bickerstaff has been named interim head coach.
Fizdale was named the 13th head coach in franchise history on May 29,2016 and compiled a 50-51 record (.495) during his two seasons in Memphis, including a 7-12 record (.368) this season.
“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,” Wallace said. “Coach Fizdale represented the Grizzlies and City of Memphis proudly, and we wish him well as he continues his career.”
“Coach Fizdale worked tirelessly to achieve on-court success, and for that, we are grateful. We wish him and his family all the best in the future,” Grizzlies Controlling Owner Robert J. Pera said. “We remain focused on achieving sustainable, long-term success.”
Before joining the Grizzlies as associate head coach in June 2016, Bickerstaff served five seasons (2011-16) with the Houston Rockets, originally as an assistant coach and then as interim head coach, guiding the Rockets to a 37-34 record (.521) to close the 2015-16 season with a berth in the 2016 NBA Playoffs. His previous NBA coaching experience also includes four seasons (2007-11) as an assistant coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves and three seasons (2004-07) as an assistant coach with the Charlotte Bobcats under his father, Bernie Bickerstaff.
Chris Wallace and J. B. Bickerstaff will be available to the media at 10 a.m. Tuesday, November 28 in the Don Poier Media Center inside FedExForum.
