A former assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets and head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves are the latest recruits.
The Grizzlies have hired Ryan Saunders, who was previously the head coach of the Timberwolves and an assistant under Michael Malone since 2022, as their lead assistant under Tuomas Iisalo, according to Drew Hill of The Daily Memphian.
Saunders was one of several Denver assistants whose contracts were not renewed after the season, and he has also worked for the Wizards.
Saunders took over as head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2018–19 season following Tom Thibodeau’s dismissal. He had a 43-94 record in his tenure before taking a break before joining the Denver Nuggets as an assistant.
Iisalo had the interim tag removed as the Grizzlies’ head coach in early May.
Iisalo compiled a 4-5 regular season record followed Taylor Jenkins’ surprising dismissal. After finishing as the eighth seed, the Grizzlies lost to Golden State in the first round of the play-in tournament, but advanced to the playoffs with a win over Dallas.
They were swept by Oklahoma City in the first round.
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