Gasol opens up:
Center speaks of “sideways” relationship with former coach.
Marc Gasol called a media gathering Dec. 18 to be available to answer questions about his rift with former Memphis Grizzlies coach David Fizdale, his hopes for the team and future with the franchise.
His most interesting points:
His relationship with Fizdale started to fracture after a loss to the Utah Jazz last De
cember. Gasol didn’t go into a lot of specifics when asked about his relationship with Fizdale. Mostly, he said things like “we couldn’t make it work.” Or: “We collided because we both wanted the team to do better and we couldn’t figure it out.” But Gasol did say, “I think everything started to go sideways, I believe, after the Utah game at home.”
The Grizzlies lost 82-73. Gasol went 4-for-22 and Mike Conley went 3-for-16.
“I think he, you know, blamed, kind of, me and Mike for losing that game, and I thought that was not really fair,” Gasol said. “When you lose, or when somebody has a tough game, you always, you gotta help and figure out ways and help your players, and he just completely came into me and Mike, and I did not like that one bit. I told him, I told the coaching staff. From that point on, things got a little rougher.”
Gasol didn’t get any explanation for his benching during the Brooklyn Nets game. “I was asking the assistant coaches, like, ‘Hey, I’m ready, is something going on?’ And they wouldn’t give me an answer. They would just look away. That would shock me. ... I told them, ‘I’m ready to go back. I want to help the team.’ ”
Despite this, he reiterated he never asked that Fizdale be fired. He was told of the dismissal by general manager Chris Wallace.
Gasol didn’t understand the decision to part ways with Zach Randolph and Tony Allen. “It was hard for me to lose those two guys, obviously. I un- derstand moving forward and getting younger and all that, but I could always count on Zach and Tony to do their job and do their part. ... Our connection was bigger than sport.” He won’t ask to be traded. “I’ve said it before. I’m not going to ask to be traded.” But that could theoretically change. He said he couldn’t speak to what might happen “if everything changes, if the franchise says that, ‘Look, we want you to not play this amount of games, we want you to rest, and we’re going to sit out Mike and whatever.’ ... As far as their goals right now, and what the team wants to accomplish, at least as much as I know, it’s that they’re trying to win. And that hasn’t changed. My commitment to that will not change.” Gasol is deeply committed to Memphis. This comes through in everything he says. As someone who once watched the Grizzlies as a fan, Gasol understands “how people see themselves through players. ... It’s my job to show the guys how important this is, and that’s something that I’m having a hard time getting accomplished.” Gasol doesn’t want to think about retirement. When asked if he wants to retire a Grizzly, he said, “I don’t want to retire. ... After the (foot) injury, it gave me the chills and I realized this day may come. Whenever that is, I want to be able to look back and say I gave it all I got.”