Former Gopher JB Bickerstaff fired by Memphis, Kevin Burleson also on staff

per ESPN:

As parts of a seismic organizational overhaul, the Memphis Grizzlies fired coach J.B. Bickerstaff and reassigned general manager Chris Wallace on Thursday.

Wallace and vice president of basketball operations John Hollinger were demoted to scouting and senior advisory roles, respectively.

Bickerstaff had completed his first full season on the job after taking over as interim coach in the 2018-19 season. The organization had been complimentary over his handling of a difficult season of injuries, trades and roster turnover.

Bickerstaff, 40, was 48-97 in two seasons with the Grizzlies, never making the playoffs. His only other NBA head-coaching experience was as interim in Houston in 2015-16 when he went 37-34.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26499416/grizzlies-fire-bickerstaff-major-shake-up

Go Gophers!!

I wonder if he joins Ryan Saunders staff.

J.B. did a really nice job in Memphis. That team overachieved this year in difficult circumstances. Not sure he'll ever get a legit shot at an NBA coaching job now that he'll be perceived as a retread. He'll need to attach himself to a successful organization (Warriors/Spurs, maybe Milwaukee now with Bud) in order to try to revitalize himself as a head coaching candidate in the NBA. The good news is he's still plenty young enough to get another shot (even though he didn't really get a shot in Memphis) if he can find that soft landing place.

When I saw this yesterday I figured he'd have his very own, "Bickerstaff should coach the Gophers" thread immediately!

Kevin Burleson to the Gophers as an assistant? Now that might pay dividends!

EG#9 said:

J.B. did a really nice job in Memphis. That team overachieved this year in difficult circumstances. Not sure he'll ever get a legit shot at an NBA coaching job now that he'll be perceived as a retread. He'll need to attach himself to a successful organization (Warriors/Spurs, maybe Milwaukee now with Bud) in order to try to revitalize himself as a head coaching candidate in the NBA. The good news is he's still plenty young enough to get another shot (even though he didn't really get a shot in Memphis) if he can find that soft landing place.

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Retread at 40? Highly doubtful. He'll get more shots in a few years.

Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0 said:

Retread at 40? Highly doubtful. He'll get more shots in a few years.

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Agree. Dwane Casey was a little older when first fired by the Timberwolves, but has had two head coaching gigs since. Bickerstaff finds a place to land as an assistant for a couple of years and he'll be back in the head coaching conversation before you know it.