Throughout Taylor Jenkins' tenure as the head coach for the Memphis Grizzlies, one of the biggest criticisms he got from the fanbase was the lack of assistant coaches he had on his staff with NBA playing experience. Before Anthony Carter's addition to the staff in 2023, the team lacked former NBA players on its coaching staff.
Although new head coach Tuomas Iisalo wasn't a former NBA player himself, he played professionally in Finland for 14 years. Entering his first full offseason as the head coach for the Grizzlies, he understands the importance of having former players on the bench and appears to be targeting some of the best assistants in the league.
Iisalo is getting an early start on finalizing his staff
NBA correspondent Marc Stein reported that the team has interviewed Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Jared Dudley and Milwaukee Bucks former head coach Adrian Griffin. Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has been linked to the New York Knicks' opening, leading to Dudley's potential availability to switch teams.
Jared Dudley played in the NBA for 14 seasons with seven different teams and won a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. He joined Jason Kidd's staff in Dallas following his retirement in 2021 and was part of the Mavericks' NBA Finals appearance in the 2023-24 season.
Dudley was known as a strong locker room presence as a journeyman player and has been relatable as a player's coach under Kidd's regime with the Dallas Mavericks. Along with veteran leadership with them on the court, the Grizzlies could use an assistant coach of Dudley's caliber to relate to the players as well.
Adrian Griffin spent 10 seasons in the NBA as a player before spending 15 seasons as an assistant coach, including winning a championship as an assistant with the Toronto Raptors in 2019. He became the head coach for the Milwaukee Bucks in 2023 and began his career with a 30-13 record before being fired in January 2024.
Along with playing experience, Griffin would provide former head coaching experience to Iisalo, who has a brief stint as a head coach himself. Although Griffin didn't finish his first season as a head coach with the Bucks, he did lead them to a top-two seed in the Eastern Conference before his firing, which would provide some sort of success to the Grizzlies' staff. Dudley and Griffin would both provide the level of coaching the players would respect.