May 5, 2013 - Memphis Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins talks with Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley (11) at Oklahoma City. (Nikki Boertman/The Commercial Appeal)

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By Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal

Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace and former head coach Lionel Hollins were seen dining Monday night at a local restaurant, leading to speculation that Hollins is a candidate to replace the recently fired Dave Joerger.

Wallace did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment.

The irony is that Joerger served as an assistant under Hollins before Joerger took over the Griz bench when Hollins' contract was not renewed after the 2012-13 season.

Hollins and Wallace worked together for nearly five seasons and would be a popular hire as he has maintained a strong relationship with the core four players (Mike Conley, Tony Allen, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol). Hollins also remains the Grizzlies' all-time winningest coach with a 214-201 regular-season record. He was 18-17 in the postseason, which included a 2013 appearance in the Western Conference finals.

Happening right now at Humdingers: Lionel Hollins and Chris Wallace. pic.twitter.com/eLEv8qRUGV — John Martin (@JohnMartin929) May 9, 2016

Hollins, who won an NBA title as a player with Portland in 1977, had been with the Griz for 10 of its first 12 seasons and was the interim head coach first in 1999-00, when he replaced Brian Hill after a 4-18 start in Vancouver, and again for four games in 2004-05 after Hubie Brown resigned. The late Griz owner Michael Heisley hired Hollins after firing Marc Iavaroni in January 2009. Under Hollins, the Griz fielded one of the NBA's best defenses.

New ownership led by Robert Pera, a California tech billionaire, took over the Grizzlies in November 2012, and Pera put in Jason Levien in charge. Levien, a former player agent, decided not to renew Hollins' deal in 2013. Hollins took over the Brooklyn Nets before the 2014-15 season. On Jan. 10, 2016, Hollins was relieved of his head coaching duties.

So who will eventually replace Joerger in Memphis?

Joerger is now out after three years at the helm of the Griz, and signed a new deal to lead the Sacramento Kings.

Wallace has said he will cast a wide net, and while Hollins is popular, it is widely believed that former Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel is atop the team's list. The list of available experienced coaches is long but that doesn't mean that Wallace will rule out an assistant coach from another team.

Candidates the Griz might consider include:

Frank Vogel: Vogel was let go after six seasons with the Pacers. He led Indiana to the postseason five times, including back-to-back losses in the Eastern Conference finals in 2013 and 2014. He was 250-181 in the regular season and 31-30 in the playoffs. Vogel has ties with Wallace because they both worked for the Boston Celtics until 2004. He is a defensive-minded coach.

Ettore Messina: The San Antonio Spurs assistant coach is highly regarded in NBA circles even though he made a name in the international game, winning four Euroleague titles and twice being named Euroleague Coach of the Year. Messina is a coach who is lauded for having a brilliant basketball mind and the ability to create a culture that would develop young players. His Spurs pedigree adds to the allure.

David Blatt: The former Cleveland Cavaliers coach was fired after 1½ seasons that included a trip to the NBA Finals. Blatted owned a 31-11 record in the 2015-16 season at the time of his firing. He enjoyed great success in Europe over the past several seasons as a creative offensive mind on the bench. He's Messina with NBA head coaching experience.

Jeff Hornacek: The Phoenix Suns fired Hornacek was midway through his third season. Overall, he compiled a 101-112 record, including 48 wins in his first season when the Suns just missed the playoffs. Hornacek is considered a players' coach.

Other names the Griz might consider include former head coaches Mark Jackson (Golden State), Jeff Van Gundy (Houston, New York) and Brian Shaw (Denver).