The Los Angeles Lakers will interview former Memphis Grizzlies coach J.B. Bickerstaff for their head-coaching position Friday, a source confirmed to ESPN. The Lakers have been regrouping since Wednesday's breakdown with head-coaching candidate Tyronn Lue. Bickerstaff will become the sixth candidate to interview for the Lakers' vacancy created by Luke Walton's departure last month, joining Monty Williams, Juwan Howard, Jason Kidd, Lue and Frank Vogel. Bickerstaff was fired as Grizzlies coach in April. He had just finished his first full season on the job after taking over as interim coach in the 2017-18 season. The 40-year-old Bickerstaff was 48-97 in two seasons with the Grizzlies, never making the playoffs. His only other NBA head-coaching experience was as interim in Houston in 2015-16, when he went 37-34. The Lakers' interview process is expected to include controlling owner Jeanie Buss, general manager Rob Pelinka, team adviser Kurt Rambis, director of special projects Linda Rambis and chief operating officer Tim Harris, as well as Lakers co-owners Joey Buss (president of the organization's G League affiliate) and Jesse Buss (the Lakers' director of scouting). The Los Angeles Times first reported the Lakers' scheduled interviews with Vogel and Bickerstaff. Information from ESPN's Dave McMenamin and Adrian Wojnarowski was used in this report.<doc-sep>The Telegraph Two of the surprise packages of this clay-court season have been British – initially Dan Evans, who made a deep run in Monte Carlo, and more lately Cameron Norrie, who played his second final in three weeks on Sunday. Unfortunately, Norrie wasn’t able to land a maiden ATP title in Lyon. But then he was up against Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has been the dominant force of 2021 outside the slams, and now stands at No 1 in the table of most rankings points gained since January 1. Nevertheless, it had been a hugely creditable effort for Norrie to go this far, especially when you consider that he took out top seed Dominic Thiem on Thursday, and then trounced big-hitting Russian Karen Khachanov in Saturday’s semi-final, losing only two games in the process. Norrie has come to clay late in his career, but it feels like this is developing into his favourite surface. He has one of the heaviest left-handed forehands in the game, loaded with top-spin, and uses it like a miniature version of Rafael Nadal. The result has been a tally of 14 wins and only four losses since he began his European clay-court swing in Barcelona. So while the French Open, which starts next Sunday, has traditionally been a graveyard of British hopes, there are reasons to hope that this year’s event could deliver some more positive results. Norrie’s previous final in Estoril had been a nervewracking affair which he eventually lost on a deciding-set tie-break to the more experienced Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas. Sunday was more straightforward for Tsitsipas, who needed only 69 minutes to hammer home a 6-3, 6-3 victory. It was Tsitsipas’ second title of the clay-court sequence, after he won Monte Carlo in mid-April, taking out Evans in the semi-final along the way. He has become a serious contender to upset the establishment – specifically Nadal and Novak Djokovic – at Roland Garros over the next few weeks. “I felt in good shape from the beginning of the tournament,” said Tsitsipas afterwards. “I am proud of today’s match, I knew it would be a difficult one against Cameron, who has been showing great tennis this week. He has been winning against good players and showing what the left hand can do on clay. “It was not an easy match today. I had to handle the nerves and I am proud of my performance and the way I stayed focused towards my goal.” On this year’s results, meanwhile, both Evans and Norrie stand among the world’s 20 most successful men. Evans is at No 16 and Norrie No 14. The next challenge for them both is to convert that ATP Tour form into a deep run at a major.<doc-sep>A week ago, the Los Angeles Lakers head coaching search was reportedly down to just two candidates, Monty Williams and Tyronn Lue. Then, the Phoenix Suns went out and signed Williams to a five-year deal, which led many to believe the Lakers would soon reach an agreement with Lue, who was reportedly LeBron James "preferred choice." That didn't happen either. For one, Lue was "insulted" by the Lakers three-year deal. Additionally, the team was reportedly trying to force him to bring on Kurt Rambis and Jason Kidd as assistant coaches. Now, the Lakers are back to square one. After interviewing former Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic head coach Frank Vogel, the Lakers are reportedly set to speak with ex-Grizzlies coach, J.B. Bickerstaff. According to the Los Angeles Times, Bickerstaff will be meeting with team owner Jeanie Buss, GM Rob Pelinka, co-owners Joey Buss and Jesse Buss, president of basketball operations Tim Harris, director of special projects Linda Rambis and senior advisor Kurt Rambis, at the team's practice facility in El Segundo, California. Bickerstaff, who took over as Memphis Grizzlies head coach in November 2017 after David Fizdale was fired, was relieved of his duties on April 11 following a 33-49 season. He previously served as the interim coach for the Houston Rockets in the 2015-16 season after the team fired Kevin McHale. Overall, Bickerstaff has an 85-131 record as an NBA coach. Other potential candidates for the Lakers vacant coaching position include Mike Woodson, Jason Kidd and Lionel Hollins.<doc-sep>The Lakers are continuing their search for a new head coach by interviewing J.B. Bickerstaff for the open position, reports Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. According to Turner, Bickerstaff’s meeting with the Lakers will happen on Friday at the team’s practice facility in El Segundo. Bickerstaff will become the second candidate to interview for the job since negotiations between Tyronn Lue and the Lakers fell apart, joining Frank Vogel, who met with the club on Thursday. As has been the case for most of L.A.’s head coaching interviews, a number of executives will be in attendance. Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, general manager Rob Pelinka, co-owners Joey Buss and Jesse Buss, president of business operations Tim Harris, director of special projects Linda Rambis, and senior advisor Kurt Rambis will all meet with Bickerstaff, says Turner. Bickerstaff, who was dismissed by the Grizzlies at season’s end after nearly two full seasons at the helm in Memphis, has also interviewed with the Cavaliers this spring. The Lakers’ list of new candidates since failing to lock up Lue now features four former head coaches, including two who used to coach in Memphis. Besides Bickerstaff and Vogel, L.A. is also said to have interest in Mike Woodson and Lionel Hollins, who had three stints as the Grizzlies’ head coach in Vancouver and Memphis, most recently from 2009-13.<doc-sep>
The Lakers will continue their search for a new coach by interviewing J.B. Bickerstaff on Friday at the team’s practice facility in El Segundo, according to several people who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. The former Memphis Grizzlies coach will become the second coach candidate the Lakers will have talked to this week after not being able to reach an agreement with former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue. Former Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic coach Frank Vogel interviewed with the Lakers on Thursday, according to multiple people with knowledge of the situation. Bickerstaff is scheduled to meet with Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, general manager Rob Pelinka, co-owners Joey Buss and Jesse Buss, president of business operations Tim Harris, director of special projects Linda Rambis and senior advisor Kurt Rambis. Bickerstaff, 40, was fired on April 11 by the Grizzlies after the team missed the playoffs with a record of 33-49. He had been hired by Memphis as the associate head coach in 2016, but was promoted to interim head coach on Nov. 27, 2017, after head coach David Fizdale was fired. Bickerstaff was named the head coach of the Grizzlies on May 1, 2018. He was also the interim coach of the Rockets after Houston fired Kevin McHale on Nov. 18, 2015. Bickerstaff led the Rockets to the playoffs, but they lost in the first round and he withdrew his name from the head-coaching search with Houston. Sign up for our Lakers newsletter » Bickerstaff, who is the son of former NBA coach Bernie Bickerstaff, has an overall record of 85-131 as a head coach. The Lakers have been in the process of trying to hire a coach since they and Luke Walton mutually agreed to part ways on April 12. The next coach the Lakers hire will be their fifth in eight years, and that person will try to help them reach the playoffs after they missed them the last six consecutive seasons. broderick.turner@latimes.com Twitter: @BA_Turner