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Memphis Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo should be on firing block by month's end

The tenure of the first Finnish head coach in NBA history may be short-lived if he doesn't start beating good teams.
Tony Mejia|
Memphis Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo got called out by Ja Morant early this season and has done himself no favors in landing on the hot seat entering 2026. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images
Memphis Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo got called out by Ja Morant early this season and has done himself no favors in landing on the hot seat entering 2026. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images | Brad Mills-Imagn Images

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Memphis Grizzlies

To this point in his first full season, Memphis Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo has only dropped clues that he’s not ready for the gig he’s been hired to do, but he closed out 2025 putting it all out there in ways that were impossible not to notice. 

Before we get too deep into this, Iisalo may very well become an excellent tactician over time. He’s definitely not a horrible coach. In fact, it appears he’s a solid instructor and communicator. However, if we’re going by just the facts, it’s clear he’s currently in over his head when it comes to game management.

Iisalo wouldn’t be the first head coach to be downright bad at that part of the job, and he won’t be the last. This isn’t a hatchet job. It’s reality.

It’s like being absolved from calling someone ugly because the proof is there for everyone to see. Iisalo has been dismal in handling late-game situations. His record against quality teams is abysmal. Star guard Ja Morant criticized his approach to doling out minutes before October ended. These are facts that can’t be defended nor disputed. 

Memphis Grizzlies fans have noticed. “Fire Iisalo” chants have been audible at FedEx Forum. Morant's early frustration has turned the radar up among Memphis fans, but Iisalo has done himself no favors.

The first Finnish head coach in NBA history had success in Europe, but thriving with Paris FC or Bronn Baskets doesn’t carry much cred here. He’s very accomplished overseas, but right now, he’s what his record says he is - mediocre to subpar.

After taking over for Taylor Jenkins, the Grizzlies went 4-5 in the regular season, survived the play-in for the No. 8 seed against a depleted Mavs team and then went out 4-0 to OKC. The Thunder won Game 1 of last season’s title quest 131-80. Once Morant went down with an ankle sprain, Memphis had no shot. 

Grizzlies' record vs. quality competition is alarmingly poor

This season, although they’re hovering around .500 and have been saddled with unfortunate injury luck, the Griz is 2-15 against teams with winning records.

In games decided by five or fewer points, Memphis is 3-4.

Late in Tuesday’s nationally-televised 139-136 OT loss against the Philadelphia 76ers, Iisalo put his puzzling decision-making on full display for all who hadn’t yet begun their New Year’s Eve festivities early to behold. 

After a three-point play from Jaren Jackson Jr. and a couple of buckets from Ja Morant in just over 45 seconds evened the game at 128 with a 7-0 run, Iisalo killed momentum with a failed challenge and didn’t get his team into anything good at the end of regulation. 

Memphis late-game sets, execution has left much to be desired

Although rookie VJ Edgecombe’s game-winning 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds left beat solid defense through great Philly ball movement, Iisalo found a way to pitch in to the loss through his decision not to have the deadliest shooter on his roster in the mix for Memphis’ final possession. 

Cam Spencer, a 48 percent 3-point shooter, wasn’t on the floor when you’re down three points? Not even to play decoy?

Iisalo felt he had the right guys in the game, players who had demonstrated the most collective rhythm, but in a results oriented business, having a 32 percent shooter in Cedric Coward take that final shot is questionable. Coward had hit two of his 3-pointers prior to the miss and scored 28 points, but he wasn’t the best option to take that shot.

Criticizing Iisalo is nothing new. Ex-player and current analyst Eddie Johnson has already predicted an early exit for the former Euroleague champ.

“It’s one game out of 82. Must maintain perspective always,” Iisalo said, sounding a little more robotic than you would like a first-year coach who is failing his team in close games to be. “It’s very hard in that situation, because even I have emotions. You try and make the best in those situations. You try to balance what’s best in the short term and what’s best in the long term.”

Chalking up Iisalo’s thoughts to a mixture of coach-speak, cliches and word salad, it’s nonetheless frustrating to be placated following another frustrating close loss.

Continuously questioning an NBA coach's strategy is a red flag

Memphis-based media is asking the right questions to try to determine some of his motives regarding how he’s approaching these key decisions he’s making that keep falling short. If this continues, it’s going to feel like everything Iisalo is doing is being second-guessed.

Morant and Coward missed a two-minute fourth-quarter stretch, which wouldn’t ordinarily be a big deal except for the fact everything is being scrutinized and a 114-113 deficit grew to 122-115 before both returned. Considering they finished with a combined 68 points, it’s understandable why any observer would wonder what both were doing out of the game simultaneously.

“Both guys went over their (playing time) recommendations today because we felt like this was a very important game for us and obviously in the overtime. There’s always a voice inside my head that’s asking, ‘is this the right play to make,’ and you’ve got to make that call over there,” Iisalo said. “We felt both players benefited from that short break. We as a team, not sure we benefited from that at that moment, but it also led to having two guys that were relatively fresh going into the last few minutes.”

No one could second-guess Iisalo if the Grizzlies won. They didn’t. Questioning him is fair game. Memphis opens the new year with a pair of games against the Lakers in L.A. The Spurs, Suns and Thunder come into town next, thankfully followed by Brooklyn. After hopefully handling the Nets, a home-and-home with Southeast Division-leading Orlando is on tap. 

Seven of the first eight games in 2026 will be against teams with winning records. If that 2-16 mark turns into 3-22 or worse, more questions will undeniably be asked. They’ll be justified. They’ll start with wondering aloud if Iisalo isn’t in over his head as a head coach in the NBA.

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Tony Mejia
TONY MEJIA

Tony has covered the NBA since 2005, with stops at CBS Sports and Vegas Insider. He is a graduate of University of Central Florida.

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