Subscribe
Follow Us
The Memphis Grizzlies have fired head coach J.B. Bickerstaff after he had exit meetings with the players.
The Athletic and Stadium senior NBA lead writer Shams Charania broke the news on Twitter on April 11.
Sources: J.B. Bickerstaff conducted exit meetings with Grizzlies players today, discussing ways to improve the team and summer expectations — and then went to his own exit meeting with ownership.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 11, 2019
The team also made the announcement via a press release on their official website on Thursday.
The Memphis Grizzlies announced today that they have undertaken a restructuring of the franchise's basketball operations department and that head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has been relieved of his duties.
The team also announced it has demoted general manager Chris Wallace exclusively to scouting duties. In addition, Jason Wexler will serve as the Grizzlies' president of basketball and business operations.
Former Grizzlies and Detroit Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince will continue his role as a special advisor to the Grizzlies.
According to The Associated Press (via FOX 13 Memphis), the Grizzlies announced the shakeup after Bickerstaff and Wallace spoke with the media on Thursday. Wallace was confident Bickerstaff would return as the team's head coach after he did “a terrific job.”
However, team owner Robert Pera saw otherwise, per The Associated Press report.
In order to put our team on the path to sustainable success, it was necessary to change our approach to basketball operations.
I look forward to a re-energized front office and fresh approach to Memphis Grizzlies basketball under new leadership, while retaining the identity and values that have distinguished our team.
The 40-year-old Bickerstaff is the son of former NBA head coach Bernie Bickerstaff. He took over as interim head coach of the team in the 2017-18 NBA season.
After Memphis finished the 2018-19 NBA campaign with a 33-49 (.402) win-loss record, Bickerstaff concluded his two-year tenure with an overall 48-97 (.331) mark.
As for Wallace, he began serving as GM in 2007. Under his leadership, Memphis made seven consecutive playoff appearances from 2011 to 2017.
The Grizzlies have now missed the postseason for two straight years.
