Memphis Grizzlies: 5 candidates to replace David Fizdale as head coach

The Memphis Grizzlies took action after an extended losing streak on Monday, firing head coach David Fizdale. Who could replace him in Memphis?

The Memphis Grizzlies began the season on a high note, winning a number of games against elite competition. Head coach David Fizdale, in his second season with the team, oversaw the 5-1 start as Memphis looked like one of the league’s biggest surprises.

But injuries continued to pile up, and the Grizzlies began losing games. When they were 7-6, the team’s star two-way point guard Mike Conley was sidelined by an Achilles injury, and they have lost all six games played without Conley — part of eight straight losses.

Their most recent loss to the Brooklyn Nets seems to be the straw that broke the camel’s back. Despite Brooklyn playing without Jeremy Lin, D’Angelo Russell and Allen Crabbe, they won by 10 points in Memphis, dropping the Grizzlies’ playoff odds to just 15 percent, per FiveThirtyEIght’s projections.

During the game, coach Fizdale benched center Marc Gasol, electing to ride a hot bench unit that was playing them back into the game. Gasol shot back at his coach postgame, telling reporters “If I’m not on the floor, then I’m not valued,” and “I’m sure [the coaching staff] knew that would hurt me the most.”

Less than 24 hours after the Sunday night loss, ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Fizdale was fired just a few weeks into his second season with the team.

Whether Marc Gasol had a direct impact on Fizdale’s removal is unknown, but it’s clear that the organization chose keeping and placating Gasol over keeping Fizdale. Now he will be looking for a new job, and the Grizzlies will be searching for a new head coach.

It will be important for Memphis to choose their next head coach carefully, balancing short-term goals with long-term plans. Yet if they want to make a playoff push this season, they will need to get a head coach in place as soon as possible.

Who are the candidates to replace Fizdale in Memphis? You can count LeBron James out, as he took to social media to criticize the firing of his former assistant coach while both were with the Miami Heat:

But the Grizzlies need a replacement, and the options are fewer than one might think. Who could the franchise turn to as the next man up for their head coaching vacancy?