David Fizdale Discusses Relationship with Marc Gasol on ESPN's 'The Jump'

Former Memphis Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale addressed the speculation about his relationship with All-Star center Marc Gasol.

During an appearance on ESPN's The Jump, Fizdale said it's natural for a head coach and star player to not always see eye to eye on things. 

"That's the league," Fizdale said. "I mean, the best player and the coach aren't always going to get along. You know, that's just how it goes sometimes."

The Grizzlies fired Fizdale on Nov. 27 after losing eight straight games following a 7-4 start to the season. He was in his second year at the helm with the franchise after taking over for Dave Joerger. 

Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reported that Fizdale and Gasol had "little-to-no communication for the better part of the past 10 months" prior to Fizdale's firing, and that Gasol's benching during a Nov. 26 game against the Brooklyn Nets was "merely a tipping point in a situation that started to go sour quite some time ago.”

Gasol has taken some responsibility for the current state of the Grizzlies, though he denies having anything to do with Fizdale's dismissal. 

"I understand that I've made some mistakes," Gasol told reporters on Monday. "I understand I'm responsible for some of the things -- not all the things. In any relationship, there's multiple moving pieces. Not just one."

This season has been a struggle for the Grizzlies. Their 9-21 record through 30 games is the third-worst mark in the NBA, ahead of only the Dallas Mavericks and Atlanta Hawks.