Johnny Davis Is The New Coach Of The Grizzlies… For Two Days
Following last night’s firing of Marc Iavaroni, the Memphis Commercial Appeal is reporting that Johnny Davis will replace Iavaroni as interim coach… for two days.
In what seemed like it came from left field, Memphis is handing over the reins mid-season to current Bucks assistant coach Lionel Hollins, for his third stint as head coach of the Grizzlies.
The question I ask is, why? For a team that is looking to win games, I don’t see the logic in hiring Hollins. As an assistant when the expansion club began play in ’95-’96, Hollins eventually took over as head coach for the final 60 games of the ’99-’00 season after Brian Hill was fired, and guided the team to a dismal 18-42 record. Then in the ’04-’05 season, Hollins lost four games as the interim coach after taking over after Hubie Brown resigned and before Mike Fratello was hired.
What are your thoughts on this hiring?
Source: Memphis Commercial Appeal
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January 23rd, 2009 at 10:57 am
fallinup (Black Dynamite = Best Movie Evar!) says:
This doesn’t matter. And my guessing is that they are trying to tank this season even harder with the coach firing. Hollins is on try #3 with the same team…what? The Grizz just didn’t have the right pieces for him the last 2 times?
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:00 am
what what says:
this team is a mess, its a shame that the league does not step in and help as with the knicks, warriors, kings, clippers, wizards and pacers
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:01 am
Brown says:
Another reason why that franchise has sucked since it’s been in the league.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:03 am
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
Is there any other pro sport with less job security as a coach than the NBA right now? I don’t know anything about Hollins but I think that some of the coaches get the blame when it’s the GM’s who are the true problem. John Paxson of the Bulls and Chris Wallace of the Grizzlies are two that come to mind. I’m sure there’s others.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:03 am
the Heckler says:
no wonder jerry west left this sorry ass franchise. they are making a mess.
didnt they sign darko and trade for kwame brown? hahaha. last year their roster had both darko and kwame brown on it.
that says it all right there. pathetic.
move this franchise to seattle.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:06 am
the Heckler says:
spliff 2 my lou—
dont feel sorry for these coaches. all coaches go right to the recycling bin. they will get other coaching opportunities.
and some…actually want to be fired to get out of their teams situation. i dont think marc ivaroni is crying. nor is sam mitchell to be out of toronto. nor is eddie jordan. nor is avery johnson. etc….
sometimes coaches want to get out just like players want to get out sometimes. i dont think firings bother them too much. some are quite happy to be out….
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:09 am
Gunner J. Matthews says:
@AP:
They are CLEARLY a better team now then when they were starting out in Vancouver. They have a foundation with Mayo, Gay, Young Gasol, Warrick, Lowry & Conley.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:10 am
goonther says:
if hiring a new coach, why not get someone with a better basketball mind? there are more than a few names out there that have more experience/ a proven record of winning; other than some guy who has little experience and a penchant for losing…
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:10 am
Notorious says:
In all seriousness, why the F did they steal the Sonics and move them to OKC, while this dysfunctional franchise gets to stay in Memphis? They are terrible, they have rotten owners, a terrible GM, and don’t care if they win or not, rather just flounder around trading away players. I don’t even think the Memphis fans want them, they were the ideal candidate to move, yet Seattle gets stolen instead.
The NBA should have stepped in a while ago, now the NBA just appears to be clueless and not care about their fans or franchise history. No, I am not from nor have I ever been in Seattle, just a fan of history.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:11 am
JCARR says:
Horrible… are teams intimidated by Avery Jonhson? Someone give him a call…
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:16 am
karizmatic says:
The only way this can be explained is that they aren’t interested in trying to salvage this season at all
But it doesn’t make any sense why not just let Davis run it for the rest of the season? Dumb moves from a dumb franchise. I just hope they don’t ruin Mayo and Gay’s careers.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:21 am
G says:
Is their GM really that bad? I dont really follow the Griz that close but I remember last year when they made the Gasol move Dime posted an explination by Chris Wallace which, even if you didnt agree with, did make me think that this guy is trying to build a winner.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:36 am
Bron42 aka Haters drink my bath water says:
call bill parcells….o wait, wrong sport…They need to figure out what their goin for…are they tryin to do a suns thing with gay,mayo,warrick, etc..flyin up the court or are they gonna slow it down? score 100? play defense? I mean they have 12 first round pics on the roster after all these lotto years, its about time they did something blazers style. Avery johnson could help, or what about one of the players who wanted to coach the knicks? let marc jackson get his start or something.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:45 am
Will says:
Lionel Hollins was a Grizzlies assistant coach for many years. I don’t have the number, but off the top of my mind I think it is 13 years of the franchise’s 15 years. Don’t get me wrong, this is a cheapo move. But Michael Heisley (owner) is trying to defend a cheap hire as a “organizational hire” where Hollins will be the Griz’s “family man”. He’s going to try to sell that Hollins gives identity and familiarity, but it’s all a masquerade.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:49 am
E. Marcel says:
They just need to move to Seattle and call it a day. Saddest franchise in the NBA currently, Knicks and Clippers included.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Aron says:
@Gunner J. Matthews
Agreed. The team is much better, but his resume is not.
January 23rd, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Kevin says:
So is he going to the Raptors?
January 23rd, 2009 at 2:05 pm
the cynic says:
the NBA should allow the fans to impeach management of poorly run organizations. Really improves fan/organization relations
January 23rd, 2009 at 8:28 pm
buffaloballa says:
Fact is Avery Johnson was GM Chris Wallace’s first choice, but he opted to collect his $4 million or so from Cuban and stay on ESPN and enjoy his family. So I don’t think Memphis is tanking….there’s not too many players out there to tank for…who, Harangody?!