Tuomas Iisalo enters his second full season as Memphis Grizzlies coach with Cameron Boozer leading a rebuilt roster and pressure to show progress.
Tuomas Iisalo enters his second full season as the Memphis Grizzlies head coach with questions surrounding his long-term job security.
lisalo took over as the interim head coach late in the 2024-25 season after Taylor Jenkins was fired. The Grizzlies head coach went 4-5 in the remaining regular-season games and was swept in the first round of the playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Last season was lisalo's first full season as the franchise's head coach, and the team went 25-57. As he enters his second full season at the helm, expectations surrounding the team could increase pressure on lisalo to deliver results.
Grizzlies Tear Down Old Core To Build Around Boozer
lisalo inherited a team during the 2024-25 season that struggled with injuries and late-game execution. The team was built around guards Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and forward Jaren Jackson Jr.
However, Morant would be traded after off-the-court incidents and a lack of chemistry with the new coach, and a start to a rebuild. The franchise traded Bane to the Orlando Magic in 2025, and Jackson was traded in 2026 to the Utah Jazz.
The movement of the franchise's core signaled a new era in the Grizzlies franchise. During the offseason, Memphis drafted Cameron Boozer No.3 overall in this year's draft. Memphis also drafted Karim López at No. 21 and Richie Saunders at No.32
On June 24, the organization acquired Isaiah Stewart from the Detroit Pistons. Memphis acquired forward Jerami Grant and Kris Murray in the Morant deal.
Although lisalo's overall coaching record is 29-62 (.319 winning percentage), this is his second full season at the helm. As the organization rebuilds, he will be able to impart his culture, habits, and expectations to the roster.
Memphis Gives Iisalo A Roster Built For A New Era
The Grizzlies enter the 2026-27 season in a full rebuilding phase after trading Morant away and breaking up their core. Expectations this season will center on youth development, physical toughness, and growing pains under their second-year coach.
Analysts and fans have predicted the team finishing 31-51 this season, missing the play-in and playoffs. The team's front office has emphasized the importance of building a physically and mentally tough identity around the team with positional versatility.
The Grizzlies will have two national television games, with the first coming against the Houston Rockets on Jan. 18 as part of Martin Luther King Jr. Day (MLK Day) on Peacock. The second game will be against the Portland Trail Blazers on Feb. 6 on Amazon Prime.
On Oct. 21, the Memphis Grizzlies will host the Utah Jazz, marking the beginning of the Cameron Boozer era in Memphis.
