Dave Joerger coached a Memphis team that was without Marc Gasol for two months to 50 wins, then they pushed the Oklahoma City Thunder (then still with Serge Ibaka) to seven games. You couldn’t have really asked for anything more with this roster.
But with front office shifts a plenty in Memphis (again) and an owner who reportedly wanted to fire him midseason, Joerger was given permission to talk to Minnesota, his home state, to potentially coach the Timberwolves. Joerger and Timberwolves president Flip Saunders have a long-standing relationship.
With that things are moving pretty quickly on the Minnesota front, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have made “significant progress” in their attempts to hire Dave Joerger away from the Memphis Grizzlies to be their new coach, according to sources close to the process.
Sources told ESPN.com that, while compensation details with the Grizzlies still have to worked out, Minnesota’s fast-moving bid to make Joerger its next coach is gathering momentum.
Compensation could potentially derail this. Joerger is still under contract with Memphis and they would demand picks or cash to let him go (remember you can’t trade a player for a coach, only picks or cash). Because Memphis is willing to move on here the compensation may be something not that hard to work out (second round pick?), but it still looms over the talks.
Joerger is not the only coach still in the conversation, reports Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports.
Hollins is the former Grizzlies coach let go by the former Memphis management to make way for Joerger, just to bring this full circle.
Still, looks like Joerger could be trying to persuade Kevin Love to stay soon and Memphis will get its third coach in three seasons. (Stability? Who need stability?)
