NBA Rumors: Memphis Grizzlies Hiring Frank Vogel

NBA rumors have been swirling around Frank Vogel. He’s become one of the hottest head coaching candidates available in the National Basketball Association. The Indiana Pacers just recently lost to the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Playoffs. Shortly after they were knocked out of the playoffs, Vogel was released. Indiana’s team president Larry Bird surprised everyone with that move. According to FanSided, Vogel is now the top candidate for the Memphis Grizzlies and their vacant head coaching position. The Grizzlies are willing to pay market value for top available candidates.

The Memphis Grizzlies decided that Dave Joerger wasn’t the right coach to lead the team into the future. There were reports that general manager Chris Wallace and Joerger had an issue with one another on how the team should be built. Earlier this season, the Grizzlies traded away Jeff Green and Courtney Lee. Joerger’s camp started to worry because they felt the team started moving in another direction, and he wasn’t going to be apart of those plans.

General manager Chris Wallace and Frank Vogel have ties to one another from their days with the Boston Celtics. Vogel’s first job in the NBA was in the video room for Rick Pitino. That connection between Vogel and Wallace could bring the former Indiana Pacers head coach down to the Memphis Grizzlies. There is also a chance that Wallace might be with the team after this summer. He recently asked for permission to interview with the Sacramento Kings job under Vlade Divac in the front office.

Frank Vogel has an amazing track record in the NBA. It came as a surprise that the Indiana Pacers team president Larry Bird decided to let him walk after the playoffs. He has won a total of 250 games. Vogel is the franchise’s all time leader in wins. He has led the Pacers to the playoffs in five of his six seasons. He amazingly took them to two conference finals. The only year Indiana didn’t make the playoffs was because superstar Paul George was out for the year with an injury.

If the Memphis Grizzlies do get Frank Vogel to become their next head coach, they will be getting another defensive minded coach. Both he and Dave Joerger are similar coaches who are defense first mentality. They are both under rated in the NBA. Vogel has proven he can get the best out of all his players. Just look at what he did with Roy Hibbert. If he does come to Memphis, he will have an established big man in Marc Gasol.

One of the biggest tasks for Frank Vogel would be convincing Mike Conley to resign with the Memphis Grizzlies. The former Ohio State Buckeyes star will be one of the most sought out free agents available at the point guard position. The firing of Dave Joerger shouldn’t affect Conley’s decision to resign with the team or leave. The Grizzlies have expressed their interests in resigning the point guard this summer.

Frank Vogel could potentially be reunited with a former player in Lance Stephenson. The Memphis Grizzlies have a team option on the former Cincinnati Bearcats star. Stephenson played his best basketball under Vogel with the Indiana Pacers. Before he left the Pacers he had a career year, he averaged 13.8 points, 4.6 assists, and 7.2 rebounds per games. It will be interesting to see if the Grizzlies will bring back Stephenson if they hire Frank Vogel.

Frank Vogel has emerged as one of the hottest head coaching candidates in the NBA. The Memphis Grizzlies are said to be making a strong push for the former Indiana Pacers head coach. The team is willing to pay top dollar to hire Vogel.