The Grizzlies yesterday parted ways with CEO Jason Levien and Dir of Player Personnel & Basketball Development Stu Lash in an "unexpected front-office shake-up," according to a front-page piece by Ronald Tillery of the Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL. The "abrupt divorce was the result of an apparently deteriorating relationship" between Levien and Grizzlies Owner Robert Pera over the past year. Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace, who "had been essentially sidelined during Levien’s reign, will return to the helm of the franchise’s basketball operations on an interim basis." VP/Basketball Operations John Hollinger is "expected continue in his role despite being a Levien hire." The team in a statement said that COO Jason Wexler "remains responsible for franchise business operations." Levien "helped broker Pera’s purchase of the franchise" from the late Michael Heisley in June '12. His "swift Memphis departure is in line with his other exits as an NBA executive." Levien also left the Kings and 76ers "within two years of joining those franchises." Pera recently began making more frequent "maneuvers around the team -- such as attending games, and meeting with players and coaches -- without Levien by his side." Pera "eventually made it known to front office personnel last weekend that changes were on the horizon" (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 5/20).
OFFICE POLITICS: USA TODAY's Sam Amick cites a source as saying the shakeup "relates to Grizzlies lead attorney David Mincberg, who has been pushing for an increased role for quite some time and appears to have won this front-office war." Mincberg had "been mentioned in several media reports handling duties that are typically reserved for a team's front office group, among them his involvement in the coaching situation last summer when the Grizzlies chose not to re-sign Lionel Hollins and instead promoted then-Grizzlies assistant Dave Joerger." Mincberg yesterday "declined comment." Pera has "become increasingly involved in the day-to-day operations, and his hands-on approach reached an unorthodox point following the Grizzlies season." A second source said that Pera "even conducted end-of-season player meetings at a hotel and independent of the front-office and coaching staff after the season." Amick notes it is "immediately unclear what this might all mean for Joerger, especially in light of the ironic fact that Hollins is still available if Pera wanted to make a turn-back-time sort of change" (USA TODAY, 5/20).
BEAR OF A DAY: In Memphis, Geoff Calkins writes of "all the bizarre days in the bizarre history" of the Grizzlies franchise, yesterday "may have been the most bizarre." The Grizzlies "responded to another 50-win season in their traditional fashion ... with a stunning public execution/dismissal of one (or two, in this case) of the men who made it possible." The Grizzlies two weeks ago "were all holding hands and talking about much they trusted each other and how well they all worked together," and "nobody connected with the organization knew it was coming, either." Pera "flew in with his personal counsel, Joe Abadi." Levien and Lash "were fired by phone call." Pera and Levien "were no longer the chums they had been, no longer the bros who bonded over their love of basketball" (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 5/20). In Sacramento, Ailene Voisin writes there are "a number of interesting back stories" involving Levien. An attorney and former player agent, he was hired by former Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie in '08, only to be "pushed out 18 months later." The two "had very different management philosophies and clashed mightily over the potential benefits" of drafting T'Wolves G Ricky Rubio. Levien "went on to assemble the ownership group" that bought the 76ers -- "purchasing his own minority shares in the process -- but quickly became disillusioned with his limited role in personnel matters" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 5/20).
