Memphis Grizzlies: Head Coach Search Revealing Adeptness, Vision of New Leadership

As the list of potential head coaches comes together, the new team leadership vision and approach should give Memphis Grizzlies fans yet another reason for optimism.

According to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Memphis Grizzlies are interviewing another potential head coach from a Conference Finals team in Adrian Griffin, the lead assistant on Nick Nurse‘s Toronto Raptors staff.

Griffin, who joined the Raptors in 2018, has been an NBA assistant for the last 11 seasons. His coaching career began in 2008 shortly after his playing career ended, and over the last decade, Adrian developed a reputation as one of the most well-respected assistants across the league. Before joining Nurse’s staff in 2018, Adrian Griffin spent two years as Billy Donovan‘s lead assistant in Oklahoma City, one year in the same capacity with Orlando and five years as a member of Tom Thibodeau‘s Chicago Bulls staff.

With Adrian Griffin’s name added to the list of interviews, the Memphis Grizzlies now have six viable candidates in consideration. But other than ESPN reports (usually Woj Bombs) confirming names that have been interviewed, there have been no overt indications from the team as to who might still be — or not be — under consideration, front runner(s), the hiring process, or any timetable for a decision.

Looking at the coaches the Grizzlies are considering, though — their backgrounds, strengths, personalities, coaching influences, etc. — it is abundantly clear that newl-appointed team executives, Zach Kleiman and Jason Wexler, have a clear vision and strategy in place for the future of this franchise, starting with the next head coach.

All six head coach candidates the Memphis Grizzlies have interviewed fall within the age range of 40 to 48. Most have head coaching experience at some level, but Igor Kokoskov, who was recently fired by the Phoenix Suns after just one season, is the only potential hire with NBA head coaching experience.

Most are current NBA assistants under very good head coaches, and most importantly, all have strong backgrounds in player development, specifically with home-grown, well-run organizations. They are all hands-on teachers with personalities (and proximity in age) that relate to and communicate well with players.

Alex Jensen has been an assistant coach under Quin Snyder since 2014 and spent two years as a D-League head coach prior to joining the Jazz. Nate Tibbetts followed the same path of D-League head coach to NBA assistant. Tibbetts joined Terry Stotts in Portland following Damian Lillard‘s rookie season, and over his six seasons with the team, the Blazers have never missed the playoffs.

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Warriors assistant Jarron Collins played in the NBA then transitioned to coaching upon retirement. He started with the team in a player development role and has since become an assistant head coach. The closest thing to an outlier is Sarunas Jasikevicius, a Lithuanian player who spent most of his professional career in Europe except for three seasons in the NBA. He has become a tremendously successful Euro League coach in a short amount of time.

Since two of the potential candidates — Jarron Collins and Adrian Griffin — are still coaching in the NBA Playoffs, it would not be shocking if this process lasted through the NBA Finals. It would not be out of the realm of possibility to see the team pull the trigger on Nate Tibbetts sooner.

Lastly, it is worth noting that Milwaukee Bucks assistants Darvin Ham and Taylor Jenkins both fit the profile of the Memphis Grizzlies’ coaching search to a tee. Both served as assistants on Mike Budenholzer‘s staff in Atlanta before following him to Milwaukee, and both started their coaching careers in the G-League/D-League.

This head coaching search will decide who becomes the Memphis Grizzlies’ fourth head coach in five years. The stark contrast between this process and how things were handled in the past is probably a good sign. Just thinking about landing the right coach, having a competent forward-thinking leadership team, and the Ja-Jaren pick and roll…for the first time in a long time, it feels really good to be a Grizzlies fan.