Marc Gasol Says He 'Didn't Ask' for David Fizdale Firing After Reported Conflict

Memphis Grizzlies star Marc Gasol denied having an active role in the team's decision to fire head coach David Fizdale.  

According to the Commercial Appeal's Ronald Tillery, Gasol said he only spoke to team owner Robert Pera after the Grizzlies had fired Fizdale:

While Gasol may not have explicitly directed Memphis to jettison Fizdale, it's probably fair to say his relationship with the head coach had deteriorated to the extent the Grizzlies had to choose between the two. DraftExpress' Jonathan Givony reported Fizdale and Gasol were butting heads long before this week:

According to Yahoo Sports' Chris Mannix, Gasol and Fizdale had a "toxic relationship" that reached a point of no return when Fizdale benched Gasol for the fourth quarter of a 98-88 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. Mannix also reported Gasol had discussed his issues with Fizdale with Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley and longtime Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph, who now plays with the Sacramento Kings.

Trading Gasol doesn't appear to be on the table for Memphis, with Mannix reporting the Grizzlies have dismissed interest from other teams.

Memphis isn't the first team to side with a star player over a head coach. Firing Fizdale to possibly appease Gasol does, however, raise the question as to whether the strategy is in the Grizzlies' best long-term interests.

The three-time All-Star center will turn 33 in January, so he's on the wrong end of the aging curve. He can also opt out of his contract after the 2018-19 season, so Gasol may be playing elsewhere two years from now.

In addition, Fizdale's departure doesn't solve Memphis' biggest problems: Mike Conley's persistent injury issues and a lack of young talent who can help the Grizzlies bridge over to their next competitive cycle.

Keeping Gasol helps the Grizzlies remain competitive in the short term, but it could make the inevitable rebuild even more painful when that time comes.