Iavaroni's Seat Warming Up?

Grizzlies coach Marc Iavaroni may have a young roster to work with, but that may not be enough of an excuse to save his job.  Iavaroni tops FoxSports.com's list of the four NBA coaches most likely to be fired by the end of this season.  Like any other Grizzlies fan, I am frustrated that the team isn't making any progress this year, and I know the coach is the easiest fall guy.  I'm not sure that a midseason coaching change is always the wisest move, but this move may need to happen. It's not like this team is going to make a run to the playoffs in 2009. Iavaroni has a laid-back personality that isn't going to work in the long run for a rebuilding franchise.  More importantly, this is his first head coaching job.  A young team needs the direction of a veteran coach.  The Grizzlies had success under Hubie Brown, and if he had been in better health and not at the end of his career, he would have done wonders for them for several more years.  I am a firm believer that the Grizzlies' problems stem from the top.  Chris Wallace came to Memphis from Portland, which hasn't been a playoff team in a while.  Is this really the best guy Jerry West could recommend before he retired?  Although Portland appears to be turning around with Greg Oden and Brandon Roy as centerpieces, it was near rock bottom both on and off the court under Wallace.  That is more harmful than bad coaching.

Right now the truth is that the Grizzlies are just going to need time to grow and learn together, regardless of who is on the sideline.  I'm not sure who the Grizzlies would consider for the head coaching position if they make a move before the end of the season.  More than likely, an assistant would finish the year.  Toronto's Sam Mitchell is now available, but he isn't much more experienced than Iavaroni.  P.J. Carlesimo and Eddie Jordan are also out there, but neither one has a strong record of success.  Carlesimo has the experience and has been to the playoffs, but his personality has gotten him into hot water in the past.  He appears to be content as an assistant to Gregg Popovich in San Antonio now anyway.  It's always a risky proposition when you fire a coach during the season because there is no way of predicting how the team will be affected.  With the Grizzlies, a change may not make much of a difference in the win column this season, but there may be second guesses if it happens and the team still finishes near the bottom of the Western Conference.