ESPN: Grizz give teams permission to talk to Hollins

[CubanMustGo]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9335145/source-memphis-grizzlies-allow-lionel-hollins-speak-other-teams

The Memphis Grizzlies (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/mem/memphis-grizzlies) have given coach Lionel Hollins permission to speak to other teams after initial talks between the team and coach stalled over what one source described as "major philosophical differences."

Hollins' contract with the Grizzlies expires at the end of the month. Both he and the team have said they hoped that he would return to build on the most successful season in franchise history. But initial conversations on a new contract haven't been productive, leading the Grizzlies to give him permission to speak with other teams on Sunday.

The Brooklyn Nets (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/bkn/brooklyn-nets) and Los Angeles Clippers (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/lac/los-angeles-clippers) each have interest in Hollins, but no team has formally requested permission to speak to Hollins yet, a source familiar with the situation said on Sunday afternoon.

Hollins told ESPN last month that Grizzlies management came to him during the first round of the playoffs to assure him that the franchise wanted to bring him back.

"The only conversations we've had is they said they wanted me back," Hollins told ESPN during the second round of the playoffs. "After we lost the first two games to the Clippers, we had a friendly conversation about the series and how they just wanted me personally to know that regardless of what's being said out there, this is how they felt. That was great."

Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley (http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/3195/mike-conley) expressed a similar sentiment in an interview with ESPN last month.

"I know that he's fought for me in every situation that he's had to. I can't even put enough words in the sentences to say how much it means to me," Conley said. "Now I'm trying to go to bat for him, try and keep him here."

ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported in early April that Grizzlies management does indeed want to retain Hollins, even after Hollins' initially angry reaction to the late January trade of Rudy Gay (http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/3005/rudy-gay) to Toronto. Yet it remains to be seen how much Memphis is willing to spend to keep him.

Doubts about Hollins' willingness to work for new Grizzlies owner Robert Pera and CEO Jason Levien have likewise been in circulation since the coach's multiple critiques of the Gay deal in the immediate aftermath of the trade. Sources told ESPN.com that Hollins' relationship with star forward Zach Randolph (http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/1017/zach-randolph) has been strained at times throughout the season as well.

Stein reported last month that assistant coach Dave Joerger would receive strong consideration to take over if Hollins departs.

[StrengthAndHonor]

Nets loves to overpay for peoples services. He's the perfect candidate.

[CubanMustGo]

Title should say "gives Hollins permission to talk to other teams", sorry.

[unforeseen]

Grizz just lost the best coach in franchise history.

[Asif Ali Zardari]

I'll take him over D'Antoni, that's for sure.

[jdiggy0424]

Grizz are dumb for letting him talk to other teams. Ink him to a deal already.

[Splits]

Memphis is a pretty racist town, not sure I blame them for trying to please their fans by at least looking elsewhere for a non-colored coach.

[lefty]

Its not racist


they just want a qualified coach

[Budkin]

Memphis is a pretty racist town, not sure I blame them for trying to please their fans by at least looking elsewhere for a non-colored coach.

I know Tennessee is but I though Memphis had a pretty big African American community.

[Asif Ali Zardari]

That coach got them to the West Finals for the first time in their history.

Racism is the only explanation.

[dg7md]

They'd be morons to not resign him, truly.

[DMC]

Fuck that gimpy handed piece of shit. He should end up on a 1 year deal in Minnesota or somewhere like that where he can die in obscurity.

[SupremeGuy]

Doesn't ZBo have a problem with Hollins? That might explain it.

[Blind Witness]

I believe the FO wants Hollins to buy into their new analytical mindset- see the hiring of Hollinger and he is resistant to that.

[m33p0]

this is just dumb.

[tp2021]

Sources: Lionel Hollins, Grizzlies likely parting ways after contract discussions collapse


After talks on a contract extension stalled over the weekend with what one source calls "major philosophical differences," coach Lionel Hollins is likely done as the coach of the Memphis Grizzlies, league sources tell Yahoo! Sports.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--lionel-hollins--grizzlies-likely-parting-ways-after-contract-discussions-collapse-210228215.html

[Spurs da champs]

I know Tennessee is but I though Memphis had a pretty big African American community.

Mississippi is racist & Jackson, MS has a majority population of Blacks but that doesn't change the fact that it's a really racist town.

Regardless, a stupid move by Memphis as he's really the only coach who's system suits this team well & made them relevant in the NBA for the first time ever the past 3 years, tbh.

[td4mvp2k]

nets or clipps it is

[CubanMustGo]

Hollins doesn't want to go anywhere :cry :cry

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9337408/lionel-hollins-says-only-wants-coach-memphis-grizzlies

Memphis Grizzlies (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/mem/memphis-grizzlies) coach Lionel Hollins said in a radio interview Monday that he doesn't want to coach another team and was surprised that he has been given permission to talk about vacancies with other NBA teams.

"I believe in Memphis. I love Memphis," Hollins said in an interview with Sports 56 WHBQ in Memphis. "I never had any intention of going anywhere. I don't have any intention of going anywhere."



He wanted to make it clear Monday that, from his perspective, "I don't want to talk to any other teams. I want to be here. I told the media after our [Grizzlies] exit interviews that if the team offered me a contract that I felt was fair, I'd sign it the next day."

Hollins said he met with Grizzlies CEO Jason Levien three days ago and left the meeting feeling good about his future with the franchise.

"I thought everything was good. I was excited when I left. They indicated that they respected me and appreciated what I had done and that [they were] going to engage my agent in negotiations later on that evening. The next thing I know I've been given permission to talk to other teams," he said.

The Grizzlies won 56 games this season, advancing to the Western Conference finals before being swept in four games by the San Antonio Spurs (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/sas/san-antonio-spurs).

"I want to coach the Memphis Grizzlies, the team that the city has embraced and that has the potential to go further with a few tweaks and adjustments," Hollins said.

A source told ESPNLosAngeles.com's Ramona Shelburne recently that initial talks between the Grizzlies and Hollins stalled over what one source described as "major philosophical differences."

"I never knew there were philosophical differences except the ones that the media put out there because of my answers to questions," Hollins said Monday.

Hollins' contract expires at the end of the month.

The Brooklyn Nets (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/bkn/brooklyn-nets) and Los Angeles Clippers (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/lac/los-angeles-clippers) have interest in Hollins, but no team has formally requested permission to speak to Hollins yet, a source familiar with the situation said Sunday.

Hollins said he would talk to other teams if forced to do so.

"If there's no conversation or if management feels there's no common ground with us, then I have no choice," he said.
Hollins characterized reports that he wants shooting guard Tony Allen (http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/2367/tony-allen) and power forward Zach Randolph (http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/1017/zach-randolph) off the team as false.

"Just for the record I do not want to get rid of Zach Randolph, I do not want to get rid of Tony Allen," Hollins said. "I've had my meetings with Zach Randolph about expectations next year -- conditioning, weight, role on the team. Zach Randolph has been a huge part of what we've done here. Tony Allen has been a huge part of what we've done here."

Hollins told ESPN last month that Grizzlies management came to him during the first round of the playoffs to assure him that the franchise wanted to bring him back.

"The only conversations we've had is they said they wanted me back," Hollins told ESPN during the second round of the playoffs. "After we lost the first two games to the Clippers, we had a friendly conversation about the series and how they just wanted me personally to know that regardless of what's being said out there, this is how they felt. That was great."

Sources told ESPN.com's Marc Stein last week that assistant coach Dave Joerger would receive strong consideration to take over if Hollins departs.

[Pelicans78]

Hollins was as overrated this past season as Byron Scott was with the Hornets back in 2007-2008. What did Hollins really do? He didn't coach the defense and the offense was terrible so what did he really do? Not that big of a loss for the Grizz.

[ShinerBlack]

Hollins was as overrated this past season as Byron Scott was with the Hornets back in 2007-2008. What did Hollins really do? He didn't coach the defense and the offense was terrible so what did he really do? Not that big of a loss for the Grizz.

+1
He brought more of a change in the attitude for the Grizzlies. They aren't a push over expansion team anymore. But he didn't exactly make them contenders either. The WCF exposed him as a poor Xs and Os guy who can't make adjusments.

[superbigtime]

Grizz franchise is going back into the shitcan without Hollins, plain and simple.

[I. Hustle]

A lead assistant just opened up on the Spurs bench.

[Splits]

"Just for the record I do not want to get rid of Zach Randolph, I do not want to get rid of Tony Allen," Hollins said. "I've had my meetings with Zach Randolph about expectations next year -- conditioning, weight, role on the team. Zach Randolph has been a huge part of what we've done here. Tony Allen has been a huge part of what we've done here."


At least he's honest enough to call Zbo fat.

[dbestpro]

Hollins was as overrated this past season as Byron Scott was with the Hornets back in 2007-2008. What did Hollins really do? He didn't coach the defense and the offense was terrible so what did he really do? Not that big of a loss for the Grizz.

This.

Viewing some of his quotes about his assistant coaches makes it seem like Hollins did not want to share any of the credit. Just got a bad feeling that he's gonna go down the coaching toilet. Dennis Gentry would be a better coach with this talent, but I think they are gonna go with the defensive coach from the bench. His stock might fall as some will question why Memphis let him go so easily.

[mudyez]

http://www.soulofamerica.com/content/images/c48e3ba3c2bb20c1e7b3603ada639ec5.jpg

[ace3g]

Ronald Tillery @CAGrizBlog
(http://twitter.com/CAGrizBlog)Lionel Hollins is out as Griz head coach. His contract won't be renewed, sources told the CA. Story coming at gogrizzlies.com (http://t.co/CxcAZdJXK2)

[baseline bum]

Wouldn't make sense to hire a coach who doesn't want to work with Hollinger.

[urunobili]

CROFL

Doc to Nets Hollins to Clips...

[AchillesHeel]

5th seed and made WCF, they'd be dumb to let his ass go.