David Fizdale Reportedly Fired by Grizzlies in 2nd Season with Team

The Memphis Grizzlies have fired head coach David Fizdale, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Monday.USA Today's Sam Amick shared statements from Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace and owner Robert Pera confirming the move:Fizdale was in his second season in charge of the Grizzlies. Memphis finished 43-39 and reached the playoffs in his first year, but the Grizzlies' 7-12 start in 2017-18 has them sitting 12th in the Western Conference.While the team's record is less than ideal, Fizdale's firing is a major surprise.Injuries have played a big role in Memphis' underwhelming start. Mike Conley has missed seven games, while JaMychal Green was out for 12 after Memphis' season-opening victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Oct. 18. Ben McLemore was absent for the first 11 games of the season as well.Fizdale's relationship with Marc Gasol may have been the decisive factor behind his departure. TheSun Sentinel'sIra Windermanreported it "contributed heavily" to the outcome.Fizdale kept Gasol on the bench in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 98-88 defeat to the Brooklyn Nets, and the three-time All-Star couldn't help but vent his frustration."You take it personally," Gasoltold reporters. "Obviously, you get frustrated, and I did, and mad and start wondering."DraftExpress' Jonathan Givony reported the animosity between Fizdale and Gasol had been building for some time:Gasol is one of Memphis' most important players, and he's signed for one more season before he can opt out of hiscontractin 2019. It would appear this is another case of an NBA team siding with its star over the head coach.Fizdale's work in Memphis will likely ensure he's employed again quickly in the NBA. The Vertical'sChris Mannixspeculated he could land with the Miami Heat, for whom he was an assistant coach for nine years before moving on to the Grizzlies.Memphis, meanwhile, may exacerbate its current situation by making a coaching change. Firing Fizdale won't change the fact injuries have been a consistent issue for Conley throughout his NBA career, nor will it address the lack of depth the Grizzlies have even when everybody is healthy.Missing the playoffs in 2017-18 could be the start of agradual declinefor a franchise that has been a postseason mainstay for the past seven years.
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