Grizzlies Nearly Added Tuomas Iisalo’s ‘Good Friend’ to Coaching Staff in 2025

Veteran basketball coach Gordon Herbert nearly landed with the Memphis Grizzlies last year but couldn't get out of his contract in Europe, he indicated during a recent podcast appearance.

Herbert, the head coach of Bayern Munich at the time of Memphis' offer, is now with the New Zealand Breakers. He is also the head coach of Canada's men's national team.

During an episode of "The Canadian Basketball Show," a question about big man Zach Edey (who could be a major piece for Canada in future international events) led to Herbert talking about the previous offer from the Grizzlies.

"His coach in Memphis is a good friend of mine," Herbert said. "I coached him actually, and he was probably my closest colleague when we were coaching in Europe. ... Actually, Memphis offered me a job a year ago to go there...lead assistant coaching job to go there, but Bayern didn't let me out of my contract."

Herbert added that landing the Memphis role would've been a "win-win" because he would've been "right there" with Edey.

The Grizzlies ended up hiring Ryan Saunders as their lead assistant last offseason. He landed the role after holding assistant roles with a handful of teams, including the Denver Nuggets when they won the 2023 NBA Finals.

Herbert's resume doesn't feature a ton of NBA coaching experience, but it is still very decorated. He landed his first basketball coaching role in 1994 in Finland, and he has been stacking up experience ever since. He has earned a number of awards and championships along the way.

His lone NBA coaching experience came in the 2008-09 season, when he held an assistant role with the Toronto Raptors.

Memphis isn't in the market for a lead assistant now, but given the past interest between the two sides, Herbert may be a name to keep an eye on down the road, especially since he and head coach Tuomas Iisalo remain good friends.

Iisalo is hoping to lead the Grizzlies through a successful rebuild. The 2025-26 season was his first full one at the helm, and there were some growing pains, as the squad dealt with injuries and finished at just 25-57.

Now, the franchise is turning the corner on a new era after trading away star guard Ja Morant and clearing a path for incoming rookie Cameron Boozer to be the new face of the organization. The results won't come overnight, but there certainly seems to be a solid foundation in place as Memphis tries to become a player in the Western Conference.

Iisalo is going to get a chance to bring the Grizzlies there. Edey seems like a big part of those plans, and perhaps Herbert will find his way to the franchise at some point down the line if the stars align.