Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies are reportedly eyeing someone in the Western Conference Finals for their vacant head coaching position. 

On Monday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported the Portland Trail Blazers gave the Grizzlies permission to interview assistant coach Nate Tibbetts for their head coaching vacancy. The position is open because Memphis fired J.B. Bickerstaff following the 2018-19 campaign.

Tibbetts has been an assistant coach with the Trail Blazers since the 2013-14 season and was an assistant for the Cleveland Cavaliers before that.

The Grizzlies aren't the first team to see Tibbetts as a potential fit at head coach this offseason.

Wojnarowski reported in April the Trail Blazers granted the Cleveland Cavaliers permission to interview him before they ultimately decided on former Michigan coach John Beilein.

The Grizzlies are moving toward the future after missing the playoffs the last two years, especially since veteran leader Mike Conley has an early termination option in his contract following the upcoming season.

That future became much brighter on May 14 when they were rewarded with the No. 2 overall pick at the NBA draft lottery. That means they will likely have the chance to select either Ja Morant or RJ Barrett and team him with Jaren Jackson Jr. as a duo to build around.

That could be an enticing situation for Tibbetts or any potential candidate. NBC Sports Northwest noted former Phoenix Suns head coach Igor Kokoskov and Utah Jazz assistant coach Alex Jensen were also linked to the opening.

The Memphis Grizzlies have interviewed Igor Kokoskov for their open head coach position, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps.

Kokoskov made his debut as an NBA head coach last season with the Phoenix Suns. However, after leading the franchise to a 19-63 record, the Suns fired him on April 23. The Suns finished the 2018-19 campaign with the second-worst record in the league, behind only the 17-65 New York Knicks.

Memphis might still see an upside in Kokoskov because of his experience as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers, Detroit Pistons, Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Utah Jazz dating back to 2000.

Not to mention, it's hardly Kokoskov's fault that the Suns have had five different head coaches since 2013 with Monty Williams being hired as Kokoskov's replacement earlier this month.

Following the news of Kokoskov's firing, Charles Barkley lamented the Suns' decision-making on Inside the NBA (h/t Zona Sports): "Firing a coach after one year, I don't think it's fair. They got a very young team. They had a bunch of injuries. I don't know what kind of coach Igor was going to be, but I don't think you should fire a coach after one year. ... And no, I'm not taking that dumpster-fire job."

Should Memphis tap Kokoskov, he will be entering a similarly unfavorable situation.

The Grizzlies also had a disappointing 2018-19 that ended with a 33-49 record and the firing of second-year head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. The franchise also "reassigned" general manager Chris Wallace and vice president of basketball operations John Hollinger to scouting and senior advisory roles, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported at the time.

Like the Suns, the Grizzlies are in the midst of a rebuild. Point guard Mike Conley, the longest-tenured member of the team, is likely on the trade block, and center Marc Gasol—teammates in Memphis alongside Conley since 2008—was traded before the 2018-19 deadline to the Toronto Raptors.

Also like the Suns, the Grizzlies have had turnover at an alarming rate as they look to hire their ninth head coach since the franchise relocated from Vancouver in 2001 and their fifth since 2010.

The first step toward turning things around, with Kokoskov or someone else in charge, will be with their No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft on June 20.

After winning the No. 2 pick in the 2019 NBA draft, the Memphis Grizzlies could engage teams in trade talks for Mike Conley Jr.  

Per Sporting News' Sean Deveney, the Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat have been mentioned as having interest in acquiring the 31-year-old. 

The Grizzlies were listening to offers for Conley prior to February's trade deadline, but they ultimately decided to keep him for the rest of the season. 

Utah tried to acquire Conley on Feb. 7 by offering two draft picks and expiring contracts but was turned down because Memphis wanted Dante Exum in the deal, per The Athletic's Tony Jones (h/t John Martin of 92.9 ESPN). 

Deveney noted the Heat's interest stems from team president Pat Riley's long-standing interest in the veteran point guard, but they will have to wait for Goran Dragic to decide if he will opt in to the final year of his contract. 

The Pacers have eight players scheduled to hit free agency, including Bojan Bogdanovic, Darren Collison, Tyreke Evans, Thaddeus Young and Wesley Matthews. Deveney wrote Conley might not fit with Indiana because of his contract and the team's desire to re-sign "some combination" of its free agents. 

Dallas appears ready to make a big move in an attempt to open its contention window, especially if Kristaps Porzingis doesn't leave as a restricted free agent. A big three of Porzingis, Conley and Luka Doncic would be intriguing in the Western Conference. 

Conley is owed $32.5 million next season and $34.5 million in 2020-21 if his early termination clause isn't exercised, per Spotrac. The 12-year veteran averaged a career high 21.1 points per game last season and is a career 37.5 percent shooter from three-point range. 

It looks like Ja Morant is heading to Memphis. 

According to Jonathan Givony of ESPN, the Grizzlies intend on selecting Morant with the No. 2 overall pick in this year's NBA draft, assuming he isn't taken with the top overall pick:

Morant is all but guaranteed to be on the board at No. 2, with Zion Williamson universally regarded as the top player in this year's draft and a potential generational talent.

But Morant is quite the consolation prize. He was spectacular in his sophomore season at Murray State, averaging 24.5 points, 10 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting 49.9 percent from the field and 36.3 percent from three. 

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Morant's playmaking should make him an instant impact player, as B/R's Jonathan Wasserman noted in his latest mock draft, though he won't hit the NBA as a perfect prospect:

"Nifty ball-handling, vision and ambidextrous passing skill fuel elite playmaking potential for Morant, the nation's assist leader. Even if he struggles to improve as a shooter, his ability to set up teammates is a strength Memphis can bank on. 

"He also led the country in transition points, and with explosive speed, he should continue to put pressure on defenses both in the open floor and off ball screens in the half court.

"Shooting will be a swing skill that affects his NBA trajectory, and he'll likely have trouble early with decision-making, turnovers and defense."

Morant will give the Grizzlies another young, foundational piece alongside Jaren Jackson Jr., and the pick-and-rolls between that duo should be electric. But his selection should also have an interesting impact on the rest of the NBA, as Memphis may put veteran point guard Mike Conley on the market to ensure Morant sees as much playing time next season as possible. 

For the rebuilding Grizzlies, Conley should fetch a few assets. That's all the more important since the Grizzlies owe the Boston Celtics a future first-round pick, either next year if it falls outside of the top six or an unprotected first-rounder in 2021 if it hasn't conveyed by then. Moving Conley for young pieces or draft picks could alleviate the loss of that selection.

For years, Marc Gasol—now on the Toronto Raptors—and Conley were the inside-outside punch that led the Grizzlies on a number of postseason runs. Now, it appears as though the team will be banking on Jackson Jr. and Morant to reprise those roles.

The New Orleans Pelicans are a near-lock to take Duke forward Zion Williamson with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, but the intrigue starts with the Memphis Grizzlies' selection at No. 2.

Murray State point guard Ja Morant is the favorite over Duke forward RJ Barrett, per Caesars Palace (h/t B/R Betting):

The 6'3" Morant broke out during his sophomore year with 24.5 points, 10.0 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game. He led 28-5 Racers to the NCAA tournament's second round.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman mocked Morant to the Grizzlies in his latest mock draft, noting the following:

It's easy to envision Morant will go No. 2 to the Memphis Grizzlies. 

With Mike Conley's time running out in Memphis, the Grizzlies can draft his long-term replacement at the point.

Nifty ball-handling, vision and ambidextrous passing skill fuel elite playmaking potential for Morant, the nation's assist leader. Even if he struggles to improve as a shooter, his ability to set up teammates is a strength Memphis can bank on.

The 31-year-old Conley is coming off a career-high 21.1 points per game as the Grizzlies' floor general, and he certainly wasn't the reason the Grizz finished just 33-49 last season. The point guard hasn't slowed down despite 12 NBA regular seasons and seven postseason trips.

However, Morant is 12 years younger and arguably the next-best player on the big board after Williamson. He's hard to pass up.

Barrett wouldn't be a bad choice either: He averaged 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game during his lone season at Duke.

The 6'7" forward should make an immediate impact wherever he lands, although early odds suggest that won't be in Memphis.

The New Orleans Pelicans won the Zion Williamson sweepstakes during Tuesday's NBA draft lottery in Chicago, but the Memphis Grizzlies landed quite the consolation prize—the No. 2 pick and a chance to select Murray State's Ja Morant.

While the big-market New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers rounded out the top-four selections, Morant was not disappointed with the chance to play in Memphis.

"I really didn’t have any [emotions]," Morant said, per Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. "I really was just excited to see it all play out with how it went. I'm not disappointed. They still got the same player that is still going to go in and work like I’ve been doing."

Mike Conley is the Grizzlies’ incumbent point guard and a Memphis institution at this point, but there is an early termination option on his contract for 2020-21. The upcoming season could be his final one with the only NBA team he has ever known, and he will be 32 years old in October.

Drafting Morant would give Conley the opportunity to provide veteran mentorship for the team's point guard of the future.

While Williamson is seen as the generational talent and a pillar for a franchise, Morant has the talent to become an All-Star as well. He averaged 24.5 points, 10.0 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 49.9 percent from the field and 36.3 percent from three-point range in his final season with Murray State.

He also became a household name during the NCAA men's basketball tournament with a triple-double in a first-round win over No. 5-seeded Marquette and 28 points in a second-round loss to Florida State.

Morant's explosiveness in transition and his ability to get to the basket stand out, but so does his all-around game as a shooter, facilitator and someone who battles for rebounds from the backcourt.

That skill set could be coming to Memphis on June 20, when the Grizzlies make the second pick in the NBA draft at Barclays Center in New York.

The New Orleans Pelicans were the big winner of the 2019 NBA draft lottery, but the Memphis Grizzlies also had reason to celebrate after landing the No. 2 overall selection.

While Duke forward Zion Williamson is the overwhelming favorite to go No. 1 overall, the Grizzlies could still end up with a game-changing player at No. 2 in point guard Ja Morant.

Even with Mike Conley under team control for at least another season, Memphis would be smart to draft Morant as its point guard of the future with the second overall selection.

Morant took advantage of the spotlight of the NCAA tournament, leading Murray State to a first-round upset over Marquette while posting a triple-double with 17 points, 16 assists and 11 rebounds.

He also had one of the biggest highlights of the entire tournament with this huge dunk:

His team couldn't advance to the Sweet 16, but he still scored 28 points while shooting 5-of-6 from three-point range in a second-round loss to Florida State.

Although the NCAA tournament was many fans' first chance to see Morant, he was a star throughout the year for the Racers. The sophomore point guard averaged 24.5 points, a nation-high 10.0 assists and 5.7 rebounds across 33 games.

He was the first player to average 20 points and 10 assists in a season since assists became an official stat in 1983-84, per SportsCenter.

Standing 6'3" with good athleticism and elite vision, Morant has the tools to continue this level of production once he gets to the NBA.

The Grizzlies will likely have several good options at No. 2, including Duke wing RJ Barrett and two-way players Jarrett Culver and De'Andre Hunter, but Morant likely has the most upside of anyone in the class other than Williamson.

Pairing him with 2018 No. 4 overall pick Jaren Jackson Jr. could create an impressive young core for Memphis as it tries to return to playoff contention in a hurry.

The Grizzlies have plenty of time to finalize a decision before the draft on June 20, but Morant should be an early favorite for the second overall selection.

The Memphis Grizzlies have continued their search for their next head coach with a couple of notable interviews.

According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, Golden State Warriors assistant Jarron Collins and Utah Jazz assistant Alex Jensen interviewed with the organization for head coaching vacancy.

Memphis created the opening after firing J.B. Bickerstaff following a 33-49 season.

This continued a theme of constant turnaround for Memphis, which has never had a coach last for more than four seasons in franchise history. Bickerstaff took over in the middle of the 2017-18 season after David Fizdale was fired in his second year.

The Grizzlies will hope to find consistency with their next hire, which could potentially include one of these men who are coming off successful runs as assistants.

Collins is best known for his playing career, spending 10 seasons in the NBA, including eight with the Utah Jazz. The 40-year-old joined the Warriors staff in 2014-15 and has seen quite a bit of success from the bench, including three NBA titles.

Jensen joined the Jazz in 2013, helping the team transform from a 25-win squad into a consistent force in the Western Conference. He was also reportedly set to interview for the Cleveland Cavaliers vacancy, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Although there will likely be more candidates before management makes a decision, the latest interviews show the team is headed in a strong direction for its next hire.

The Memphis Grizzlies are interested in Lithuanian coach Sarunas Jasikevicius for their vacancy, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst.

Wojnarowski and Windhorst noted that Memphis' coaching search is still in the "early stages."

Jasikevicius has spent the last three years as the coach of Zalgiris in the Euroleague. As the Zalgiris coach, he has led his team to three Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) championships and a pair of King Mindaugas Cup league titles.

The 43-year-old is a two-time LKL Coach of the Year.

Jasikevicius' impressive Euroleague resume earned him an interview for the Toronto Raptors' vacancy last year, though Masai Ujiri and Co. ultimately gave the job to then-assistant coach Nick Nurse. According to The Athletic's Blake Murphy, Jasikevicius turned down a "sizable" offer to be on Nurse's coaching staff as an assistant.

While he spent more than a decade piling up accolades overseas, Jasikevicius—who was a member of the Lithuanian national team that won bronze at the 2000 Summer Olympics—spent just two years in the NBA as a player. He appeared in 118 total games (regular season and postseason) for the Indiana Pacers over parts of two seasons and suited up for the Golden State Warriors 30 times in 2007.

He averaged 6.8 points and 2.9 assists per game during his NBA career.

Jasikevicius played college ball at the University of Maryland under Hall of Fame coach Gary Williams.

Veteran small forward CJ Miles reportedly exercised the player option in his contract Friday to remain with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2019-20.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Miles will make $8.7 million next season.

Miles was traded to Memphis along with Jonas Valanciunas and Delon Wright in the deal that sent center Marc Gasol to the Toronto Raptors this season.

The 32-year-old Miles is a 14-year NBA veteran who has spent time with the Utah Jazz, Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, Raptors and Grizzlies.

Miles was selected by Utah in the second round of the 2005 NBA draft, and he was one of the last players to go from high school to the NBA prior to the NBA changing its age eligibility requirements.

After averaging just 5.5 points per game over 40 appearances in a reserve role with the Raptors this season, Miles was far more prominent with the Grizzlies. In 13 games, Miles averaged 9.3 points and 2.1 rebounds in 22.6 minutes per contest while shooting 40.0 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from long range.

Miles averaged double figures in scoring in four straight seasons from 2014-15 through 2017-18. He also hit double figures in six of eight seasons from 2010-11 through 2017-18.

His most productive campaign came in 2014-15 with the Pacers when he averaged a career-high 13.5 points per game in 70 appearances, including 40 starts.

For his career, Miles boasts averages of 9.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.5 three-pointers made and 1.1 assists in 838 regular-season games.

The Grizzlies appear set to enter a rebuild after trading Gasol to Toronto and missing the playoffs. They may also part ways with point guard Mike Conley, who can become a free agent after the 2019-20 season.

Memphis' long-term future rests in the hands of 2018 No. 4 overall draft pick Jaren Jackson Jr. and whoever they manage to land in the first round of the 2019 NBA draft.

Even rebuilding teams need veterans to help bring the younger players along, though, and given Miles' experience, he is an ideal candidate to do precisely that.