Report: J.B. Bickerstaff, Grizzlies Finalizing Contract for Him to Return as HC

The Memphis Grizzlies are reportedly keeping faith in interim head coach J.B. Bickerstaff by working on a deal to make his position permanent despite the team's woeful 22-60 record in the 2017-18 season.

On Thursday, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports reported the sides are progressing on "a framework" of an agreement to remove the interim tag.

Bickerstaff took over as the team's head coach in late November after David Fizdale was fired following a 7-12 start to the season. 

That decision took place one day after Marc Gasol was benched in the fourth quarter of a loss and expressed his frustrations to reporters after the game, leading to talk that a rift between the star center and Fizdale perhaps played a key factor in ending the coach's tenure.

"There was tension between the two," Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace acknowledged at the time, per Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal. "This is a factor but it's not the overriding factor. We talked to Marc in real time about the same time we talked to Coach Fizdale."

Things didn't get much better in Memphis after that, of course, as injuries limited Mike Conley to just 12 games and Chandler Parsons to 36 contests. But the Grizzlies' nosedive to the basement was jarring just a season removed from a 43-39 finish and postseason appearance. 

Clearly, changes are coming in Memphis, but that won't start with the head coach. Bickerstaff did what he could with a depleted roster, though the Grizzlies went just 15-48 under his tutelage and now appear to be in a rebuilding mode.

Major decisions loom for the Grizzlies, namely around the future of veterans such as Conley and Gasol. If Memphis decides it's time to bottom out and start from scratch around young talent, the experienced pair that led them to seven straight postseason berths before this season could be gone.

But Bickerstaff is on track to remain, regardless of whether the Grizzlies bottom out or attempt to quickly retool this offseason.