Sources: Grizzlies working on deal to make J.B. Bickerstaff permanent head coach

Shams Charania
J.B. Bickerstaff became the Grizzlies’ interim coach in November. (AP)
J.B. Bickerstaff became the Grizzlies’ interim coach in November. (AP)

The Memphis Grizzlies and interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff are working on a contract to make Bickerstaff the team’s permanent head coach, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Bickerstaff and the Grizzlies have been in serious discussions on a new multiyear deal over the past several days, league sources said. Bickerstaff had meetings with Grizzlies management before the regular season ended, and sat down with ownership in recent weeks, league sources said.

Bickerstaff, 39, became the interim coach in November when the Grizzlies parted with David Fizdale, and he earned the praise of star veterans Mike Conley Jr. and Marc Gasol and rotational players such as JaMychal Green and Chandler Parsons.

Bickerstaff joined the Grizzlies in 2016 as an associate head coach, following assistant jobs in Charlotte, Minnesota and Houston. He served as the Rockets’ interim coach for part of the 2015-16 season.

Memphis finished the season at 22-60 and has the second-highest odds of getting the No. 1 overall pick in the June NBA draft.

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