HoopsHype.com Rumors

The big stage has been a long time coming for Randolph, a player many assumed would have run himself out of the league by now. That’s not the case or even any longer an option. The 12-year veteran has found a home and fulfillment in Memphis. “He just understands the big picture a little bit better. He understands winning better,” Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins said. “I think there are lot of good players in this league that have statistics, that have talent, but never win, never understand that it takes more than their 20 points to win; that it takes moving the basketball, it takes playing defense, it takes being a decoy sometimes. “We just try to challenge him and he accepts being challenged, and he’s risen to the occasion.” NBA.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Zach Randolph, Lionel Hollins 

Peter Vecsey: I'm told agent Warren LeGarie has spoken 2 at least 1 team, probably 2, re what'll take 2 sign FA Lionel Hollins should terms scare off MG. Twitter @PeterVecsey1

Memphis Grizzlies, Coaching, Warren LeGarie, Lionel Hollins 

Former Phoenix Suns head coach Alvin Gentry weighed in on who he thinks should lead the organization going forward. Gentry told Arizona Sports 620's Doug & Wolf Tuesday that the Suns have an interesting pool of candidates to choose from in their search for a new head coach. "I think there's a lot of great guys out there," Gentry said. "At the end of this season, Lionel Hollins is going to be a free agent. He's got a lot of Valley ties here, played at Arizona State. Obviously he's shown that he can really coach -- young teams that are developing. "He can also, the defensive thing, which has been kind of an Achilles' heel for the last eight years here. He's done a great job in that area." Arizona's Sports Page

Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Lionel Hollins, Alvin Gentry 

Hollins told star forward Zach Randolph, who is not known for his defense, that Randolph had made honorable mention on the NBA's all-defense team. “I did?” Randolph enthusiastically responded, according to Hollins. No, the coach said, “I'm just kidding.” Oklahoman

Memphis Grizzlies, Zach Randolph, Lionel Hollins 

Grizzlies assistant coach Barry Hecker left the team during the Western Conference semifinal against the Thunder for what Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said is a “personal matter.” Hollins said after the team's shootaround Monday morning that Hecker's departure is “nothing that's public consumption.” Oklahoman

Memphis Grizzlies, Coaching, Lionel Hollins, Barry Hecker 

Memphis Grizzlies assistant Barry Hecker has left the team during the Western Conference semifinals for what coach Lionel Hollins says is a "personal matter." Hollins said after the Monday morning shootaround that Hecker's departure is "nothing that's public consumption." ESPN.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Coaching, Lionel Hollins, Barry Hecker 

“I’ve said it before, when a guy has the ball and has to score like that it takes energy, and the more you make him work, that’s the best you can do,” Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins said. “You can’t stop Kevin Durant, he’s a great player, but he played 45, 46 minutes and he’s asked to carry a huge load for them. As the game goes on other people for them, they start taking the load away from him a little bit, but I don’t think that we can stop him. I’m not attributing it to us.” NBA.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Lionel Hollins 

Hollins said he's confident in his status because Grizzlies management recently told him they wanted him back. "The only conversations we've had is they said they wanted me back," Hollins told ESPN. "After we lost the first two games to the Clippers, we had a friendly conversation about the series and how they just wanted me personally to know that regardless of what's being said out there, this is how they felt. "That was great." ESPN.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Coaching, Lionel Hollins 

Memphis Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins has no contractual obligation to the franchise beyond this season, but he is hopeful he'll get to keep coaching what he's helped build here. "There's no question," Hollins told ESPN when asked if he hoped to be back with the Grizzlies after the season. "When you build something you want to see it through to the fruition of it all. "Hopefully we'll win a championship at the end of the year. But that would just be a starting point. Then you want to be a perennial championship contender." ESPN.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Coaching, Lionel Hollins 

Chris Broussard: Lionel Hollins will be highly coveted if Memphis doesn't re-sign him as coach after season. Nets 1 team that will b interested, source says Twitter @Chris_Broussard

Memphis Grizzlies, Brooklyn Nets, Coaching, Lionel Hollins 

Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins' contract is also expiring. It would be a monumental mistake for the front office of Jason Levien and Stu Nash, both former agents, to allow him to walk. Talk is that he is far too outspoken for their tastes — something also whispered about Scott in Cleveland. Hollins would be out of work less than a week. News-Herald

Memphis Grizzlies, Coaching, Lionel Hollins 

The Sixers are also strongly considering Indiana Pacers assistant Brian Shaw, and closely monitoring the contract talks of Lionel Hollins and the Memphis Grizzlies. Hollins could be a free agent at season's end. Yahoo! Sports

Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, Philadelphia 76ers, Coaching, Brian Shaw, Lionel Hollins 

Former Bucks assistant and current Houston Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson is considered a possible candidate. The Rockets are playing Game 5 of their playoff series against Oklahoma City on Wednesday night. Sampson also is considered a candidate for the vacant coaching position in Charlotte. And the Bucks could be intrigued if current Memphis Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins does not have his contract extended. Hollins is in the final year of a three-year contract. Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, Milwaukee Bucks, Coaching, Lionel Hollins, Kelvin Sampson 

Rob Fischer: Practice- Per @memgrizz coach Lionel Hollins, Keyon Dooling did not practice today. As far as availability for Game 5, "I don't know." Twitter

Memphis Grizzlies, Keyon Dooling, Injuries, Lionel Hollins 

Zach Randolph’s fast start helped the Memphis Grizzlies return to their inside dominance. Randolph had 13 of his 27 points in the first quarter, and he finished with 11 rebounds and the Grizzlies beat the Los Angeles Clippers 94-82 on Thursday night to pull within 2-1 in this first-round series. “Zach was huge,” Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said. “He got started quickly. He had 18 at halftime, and that got us going and everyone else just flowed into that. I thought our defense, for the most part, was solid.” Randolph hadn’t scored more than 13 in each of the first two games and had only 12 rebounds combined in Los Angeles. New York Daily News

Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Zach Randolph, Lionel Hollins 

Rick Bonnell: Lionel Hollins -- free agent after this season -- would so be the best Bobcats coach. Chances? Don't hold your breath. Twitter @rick_bonnell

Charlotte Bobcats, Memphis Grizzlies, Coaching, Lionel Hollins 

Ronald Tillery: Gasol: "But I believe Coach (Hollins) brought a mentality that I was used to – hard work, no excuses and treating everybody the same." Twitter @CAGrizBlog

Memphis Grizzlies, Marc Gasol, Lionel Hollins 

“Would I liked to have had a contract before this? Of course,” said Lionel Hollins, now in his fifth consecutive season and third stint as the Grizzlies coach, a relationship that dates back to the franchise’s roots in Vancouver. “But that’s a decision that’s made and you go and do the best job you can, and it’s not like it had to be done before the season is over. It’s just like players, you can extend players early or you can wait till later. Guys become free agents and they go out in free agency and sometimes it gives you leverage and sometimes it doesn’t.” NBA.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Coaching, Lionel Hollins 

Milling in the visitor’s locker room at Staples Center on Monday, new Grizzlies CEO Jason Levien praised Hollins’ coaching chops this season, but offered no insight into the new ownership group’s thinking. “We, as an organization, agreed we wouldn’t have any comments other than to say that he’s a real asset to the team,” Levien told NBA.com. “I think we had the best record in franchise history. I think that Lionel led the way to that, led us through some adversity, real adversity in changing of players, in changing ownership. The interesting thing in the process when you buy a team is that you don’t get to talk to the management and the coaches while you’re in that process, so we really stepped in on Nov. 1. And so we got to know everybody and it’s been a very positive season overall.” NBA.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Coaching, Lionel Hollins 

Ronald Tillery: Practice -- Griz coach Lionel Hollins with an economy of words. Used a max of 10 words to answer each question. Twitter @CAGrizBlog

Memphis Grizzlies, Coaching, Lionel Hollins