The Grizzlies are working with J.B. Bickerstaff to make him the team's head coach, Yahoo Sports reported, citing unidentified league sources.
Memphis' interim coach since November after the team fired David Fizdale, Bickerstaff has been with the team since 2016 as an associate coach.
He and the Grizzlies have been negotiating a multiyear contract over the past several days, and he has met with ownership and management, according to the report.
Under Bickerstaff, the Grizzlies posted a 15-48 record. However, Grizzlies players — including Mike Conley Jr., Marc Gasol, JaMychal Green and Chandler Parsons — praised Bickerstaff.
This would be Bickerstaff's first official post as a head coach. He also was the Rockets' interim coach in 2016, posting a 37-24 record.
The Grizzlies ended the regular season with the worst record in the league (22-60) and have the highest chance of winning the lottery for the No. 1 pick in June's draft.
