Former Grizzlies coach David Fizdale will meet with several teams in need of a head coach over the next month, including the New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns, according to multiple reports. Fizdale is also seen as a top candidate for the Charlotte Hornets head coaching vacancy.
Fizdale, 43, was fired as Grizzlies head coach last November after spending just one season with the team. He’s since registered significant interest across the league.
Fizdale also plans to interview with the New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns sometime next week https://t.co/ADEfA98vu3
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) April 14, 2018
Fizdale spent time with the Golden State Warriors at practice on Friday and plans to be in attendance for their Playoff game against the Spurs on Saturday. The former Miami Heat title-winning assistant coach hopes to continue studying and learning from the best in the game while waiting for his next job.
“If you can’t get to a point where you don’t have an ego about this thing, and you just want to share and learn, you end up getting better because of that,” Fizdale said, according to Mark Medina of The Mercury News. “I really tried to hang my hat on that and learn from any person I can.”
Two others teams seeking a new coach are the Bucks and Magic, although Fizdale’s name hasn’t been linked to the clubs to this point. Since the regular season ended, the New York Knicks (Jeff Hornacek), Charlotte Hornets (Steve Clifford) and Orlando Magic (Frank Vogel) have parted ways with their respective head coaches.
Fizdale is one of the most respected figures within playing and coaching circles in the NBA. He’s expected to have a coaching job before the 2018-‘19 season begins.
