The Grizzlies shocked the NBA world Monday night by firing head coach David Fizdale only 19 games into the 2017-18 season. There are always a number of factors involved in these types of decisions, but one particular move by Fizdale may have been the nail in the coaching coffin.
The benching of star center Marc Gasol during the Grizzlies' most recent loss to the Nets "contributed heavily" to Fizdale's departure, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel. Gasol left the floor Sunday night with over three minutes remaining in the third quarter and didn't come off the bench for the final frame despite Memphis cutting Brooklyn's lead to single digits in the fourth. Gasol was not happy about it (to put it mildly).
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"I don’t like it one bit," Gasol said (via The Commercial Appeal). "I’m more (angry) than I can show, and frustrated. But for the benefit of the team, I’ve got to show good leadership and continue to do my job...
"If I start venting, that would be counterproductive. But at the end of the day, I'm as competitive as anybody. I hate not playing. That's what I value most. If I'm not out there, I'm not valued. I'm sure they knew that would hurt me the most."
Gasol finished the game with 18 points on 6-of-17 shooting in 28 minutes. It was the Grizzlies' eighth consecutive loss after starting the season 7-4.
The issues between Gasol and Fizdale are nothing new, though. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski says friction developed going back to the 2016-17 season, and the Grizzlies' front office felt irreparable damage had been done.
From Woj's appearance on Monday night's edition of "SportsCenter":
From last season into this year, [Gasol and Fizdale] have never been on the same page. Both of them tried to work through it together, and I know that there was frustration on both sides, from David Fizdale's point of view as a coach, and Marc Gasol, his point of view as the franchise player.
Marc Gasol did not ask for this to happen. He was not consulted in any way, I'm told. The organization made a decision, ultimately, that Fizdale had lost Gasol.
There was also this nugget from ESPN's Jonathan Givony:
Word out of Memphis this past summer already was Marc Gasol and Coach Fizdale were on very poor terms after some confrontations in practice. Seemed inevitable they'd have to pick between one or the other eventually. This isn't some recent thing.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) November 27, 2017
The three-time All-Star re-signed with Memphis in 2015 to presumably finish his career with the only franchise for which he has played. He is set to make $24 million in 2018-19 and $25.5 million in 2019-20 with a player option. Would a contender kick the tires on a Gasol trade even with that big contract and his injury history? Are the Grizzlies willing to hear offers for a player who was thought to be untouchable?
It's still messy in Memphis. Fizdale's firing may temporarily quiet the storm around Gasol, but there are still dark clouds overhead.
