Avery Johnson turns down 5 year offer to coach Grizzlies

[Admin]

He says below that he's waiting on the right time and situation to coach again and while the Grizzlies certainly aren't a good team they are loaded with young talent so either it's not the right time for him (I doubt that) or maybe he's not interested in coaching a young team.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3855045

Avery Johnson has turned down the chance to make a swift return to an NBA bench with the Memphis Grizzlies.

NBA coaching sources told ESPN.com on Friday that the former Dallas Mavericks coach was offered a five-year contract by the Grizzlies to replace Marc Iavaroni, who was fired late Thursday after 1½ seasons in Memphis.

Johnson, though, elected to pass on an in-season comeback, preferring to remain in his new role as a studio analyst for ESPN.

"I've said all along [that] at the right time and in the right situation, I will coach again," Johnson said Friday. "I am enjoying my time at ESPN and with my family. I think an awful lot of [Grizzlies owner] Michael Heisley and [general manager] Chris Wallace. I wish the Grizzlies the very best." The Grizzlies on Friday formally announced Iavaroni's dismissal with the team mired at 11-30 after a 2-15 skid. Assistant coach Johnny Davis has been named interim coach going into Memphis' game Friday at New York.

Sources said that Johnson was the Grizzlies' first choice to take over, with Heisley seeking an experienced coach to lead and mold a young team that has started three rookies -- O.J. Mayo, Marc Gasol and Darrell Arthur -- in 25 of its 41 games this season.

Johnson, 43, certainly would have fit Heisley's profile, having posted a 194-70 record in four seasons with the Mavericks, during which he took them to the NBA Finals for the first time in the club's history in 2006 and earned NBA Coach of the Year honors the same season.

He was fired in May 2008 after a second straight first-round exit.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported on its Web site early Friday that former Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins, now an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks, will be hired as Iavaroni's replacement and be joined on the Grizzlies' bench by recently fired Philadelphia 76ers coach Maurice Cheeks.

Hollins, 55, posted an 18-42 record as the Grizzlies' interim coach in Vancouver during the 1999-2000 season after replacing Brian Hill following a 4-18 start. Hollins also went 0-4 as the interim coach in Memphis between Hubie Brown and Mike Fratello during the 2004-05 season.

[AHF]

Avery is smartly thinking on his career here. He will get an offer to coach a competitive team and that Memphis situation is going to be a tough one long-term. Avery has enough leverage that he should get a better opportunity to coach a team that won't jeopardize his long-term coaching status like running a team like the Grizzlies into the ground can do for you. Look how far Larry Brown's status fell after he took over the Knicks. He was quickly shown the door and was somewhat damaged goods despite a long and varied HOF coaching career.

I think this is a wise move for him.

[AtLaS]

I would love Avery to coach this team. I think he'd consider us too.

[Admin]

Avery is smartly thinking on his career here. He will get an offer to coach a competitive team and that Memphis situation is going to be a tough one long-term. Avery has enough leverage that he should get a better opportunity to coach a team that won't jeopardize his long-term coaching status like running a team like the Grizzlies into the ground can do for you. Look how far Larry Brown's status fell after he took over the Knicks. He was quickly shown the door and was somewhat damaged goods despite a long and varied HOF coaching career.

I think this is a wise move for him.

It's probably a good move for him, but it does make me question even more his ability to win without a championship caliber team. If he's that worried about his legacy that he won't accept a job from anyone but a competitive/championship caliber team then that should send up some red flags.

[AHF]

It's probably a good move for him, but it does make me question even more his ability to win without a championship caliber team. If he's that worried about his legacy that he won't accept a job from anyone but a competitive/championship caliber team then that should send up some red flags.

For me this does not raise red flags. It is like someone passing on a company on the verge of bankruptcy when he knows he will get offers from others that are on solid financial footing. There is a reason Phil Jackson has never settled for this kind of opportunity. It is the same reason why coaches in many sports turn down offers from the bottom-dweller teams - coaching those teams can ruin your reputation.

Again, I think this is a smart move and it does not raise red flags for me about Avery. It just shows he is being smart about this. If he turns down an offer from a team like the Hawks or Trailblazers because they aren't championship ready that would be a different story. If I were in Avery's shoes, I would wait until I got an offer from a team that was reasonably competitive and had some upside for the future. That would not be a product of me lacking confidence in my ability to coach, it would be about making the smart choice to enhance my career versus a choice like Memphis that could really hurt it.

[TruJerz]

For me this does not raise red flags. It is like someone passing on a company on the verge of bankruptcy when he knows he will get offers from others that are on solid financial footing. There is a reason Phil Jackson has never settled for this kind of opportunity. It is the same reason why coaches in many sports turn down offers from the bottom-dweller teams - coaching those teams can ruin your reputation.

Again, I think this is a smart move and it does not raise red flags for me about Avery. It just shows he is being smart about this. If he turns down an offer from a team like the Hawks or Trailblazers because they aren't championship ready that would be a different story. If I were in Avery's shoes, I would wait until I got an offer from a team that was reasonably competitive and had some upside for the future. That would not be a product of me lacking confidence in my ability to coach, it would be about making the smart choice to enhance my career versus a choice like Memphis that could really hurt it.

yea i see what u are saying and I somewhat agree. The Memphis Grizzlies does have some talent on that roster. OJ Mayo, Rudy Gay, Gasol, Warrick, Lowry, Conley(even tho he has been struggling) and Darrell Authur is a nice young group of guys. If I were Avery, I would take the job. I think their record is better than what they can be..that coach they had was probably the worst in the league. I wonder what they would of done with a good coach

[AHF]

yea i see what u are saying and I somewhat agree. The Memphis Grizzlies does have some talent on that roster. OJ Mayo, Rudy Gay, Gasol, Warrick, Lowry, Conley(even tho he has been struggling) and Darrell Authur is a nice young group of guys. If I were Avery, I would take the job. I think their record is better than what they can be..that coach they had was probably the worst in the league. I wonder what they would of done with a good coach

I guess we will see.

For me, I think they have some good young pieces in Mayo, Gay and Gasol. I don't think Warrick, Lowry, Conley or Arther are near starter quality right now, though. Good complementary pieces but don't project as starters for me now. Gay is very good but I question if he will stay. Mayo is a rookie and exceeding my expectations so that is all good. Gasol has starter potential but as a frontcourt they suck. So I don't see much hope for this year and don't expect much from them the rest of the year or next year for that matter.

The organization doesn't seem to want to invest in the team, though; the fan base is terrible; and the team is hemorrhaging money in that market.

I wouldn't sign on with them if I were him with better options on the horizon. The Memphis job would be near the bottom of my list along with the LAC, NJN, and several other jobs. Oddly, the Was job might be good but it would be a wait and see situation (if Arenas comes back healthy next year and they get the #1 pick this year that turns around in a hurry).

[Diesel]

Avery is smartly thinking on his career here. He will get an offer to coach a competitive team and that Memphis situation is going to be a tough one long-term. Avery has enough leverage that he should get a better opportunity to coach a team that won't jeopardize his long-term coaching status like running a team like the Grizzlies into the ground can do for you. Look how far Larry Brown's status fell after he took over the Knicks. He was quickly shown the door and was somewhat damaged goods despite a long and varied HOF coaching career.

I think this is a wise move for him.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the memphis situation...

Give me Gasol, Gay, Mayo, and Conley Jr... and you have a great start. They just need a PF and I haven't given up on Arthur. That team just needs some coaching and time. They even have the ability to make a move for a vet or two. I'm not saying that Avery is wrong, I just believe you can't rule out the possibility that he knows something else will be coming available..

I mean think about the possibilities:

Minny

Washington

Chicago

Clippers

Toronto.

When you think of those teams... Memphis situation is as good if not better than all of them. Maybe Toronto hides a hidden pearl, but if I'm holding Mayo, Conley Jr., Lowry, Gasol, and Gay... and I might get another lottery pick... I'm feeling pretty darn good.

[DrReality]

Plus I think Memphis is a deadend road as far as the NBA is concerned. He's been to the bright lights and can do better.

[dlpin]

I think it was wise. All the young talent in the world does not mean anything if the ownership is going to give them away for cash.

They have one of the worst GMs, a stingy owner, and are always mentioned as one of 3 teams that are highly likely to move soon...