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5 replacements for Dave Joerger with Memphis Grizzlies

By John Buhler

Mar 28, 2016; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger reacts to a call in the first half againt the San Antonio Spurs at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2016; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger reacts to a call in the first half againt the San Antonio Spurs at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 8, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach David Blatt looks on during the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 8, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach David Blatt looks on during the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

2. David Blatt

When a head coach wins over 70% of his games and guides his team to the NBA Finals with an injured roster and one strong-willed superstar, it’s easy to say that he will get another opportunity to be a head coach in the NBA. David Blatt will be a head coach next season in the NBA, and Memphis might be the perfect opportunity for him.

Blatt has won both overseas in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv and with the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers before being fired mid-season this year despite being in first place in the Eastern Conference standings. Clearly, Cleveland made a mistake in hiring Blatt before knowing that LeBron James would leave the Miami Heat to return home for the 2014-15 NBA season.

Essentially, Blatt was supposed to turn around a struggling Cleveland team and instead had to deal with managing the personalities of superstars on a championship caliber team. It wasn’t what he signed up for, but did a fine job nonetheless.

If Blatt were to become the next head coach of the Grizzlies, he wouldn’t have to coax egos and deal with persistent media scrutiny. He could just coach NBA basketball. Blatt is a well-rounded coach who could help the Grizzlies get out of the Bronze Age offensively and into the modern era. He’s well equipped to coach a team that is in win-now mode but would have the job security to lead a rebuilding team if Memphis goes that route instead.

Either way, it’s certainly a better situation than all the madness he was subjected to with the Cavaliers. Blatt is a top 15 coach in the NBA, and the Grizzlies may want to grab him before somebody else does.

Next: 1. Frank Vogel

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