The Memphis Grizzlies are pursuing Phoenix vice president of basketball operations David Griffin with an eye toward making him their general manager.

An NBA source said Griffin has already been offered the chance to take over many of the duties held by outgoing Memphis team president Jerry West.

Memphis Grizzlies majority owner Michael Heisley today named Marc Iavaroni as the team?s new head coach.    

"Marc is going to make an immediate impact on this organization, team and city and we are honored that he will be making his NBA head coaching debut with Memphis,? said Heisley. "He is highly regarded by Jerry West as a coach with extraordinary basketball knowledge and skill, and we look forward to having him guide the Grizzlies in our pursuit of a championship."

Iavaroni joins Memphis for his first head coaching stint after serving the past five seasons as an assistant coach with the Phoenix Suns, including the last three and a half years as the team's lead assistant. He brings a total of 17-years of professional experience as either a player or coach, including a three-year stint as assistant coach/director of player development with the Miami Heat (1999-2002) and two seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers (1997-99). He also assisted the USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team in training for the 2006 FIBA Championships in Japan.

The Memphis Grizzlies hired Marc Iavaroni as its head coach and an announcement could come as soon as Thursday, according to an NBA source familiar with the negotiations.

Iavaroni, an integral part of the Phoenix Suns' coaching staff the past several seasons, received a three-year contract to help reshape the Grizzlies after they failed to reach the playoffs for the first time in four seasons.

Iavaroni is also seen as someone who can nurture the skills of budding big man such as Pau Gasol. Iavaroni is credited with playing a major part in the development of center Amar? Stoudemire.

Iavaroni also played in the NBA for seven seasons. He was a starter as a rookie on the 1983 World Champion Philadelphia 76ers.

Tom Penn, who joined the Grizzlies when Michael Heisley bought the team in Vancouver in 2000, is leaving his post as assistant general manager to join the Portland Trail Blazers as assistant general manager, the Blazers announced Tuesday.

"Tom Penn is an expert on a litany of player personnel issues, and I'm excited to begin working with him immediately on next month's draft and free agency," said Blazers' GM Kevin Pritchard in a release on Tuesday.

The Orlando Magic requested and were granted permission to talk to Suns assistant coach Marc Iavaroni about their vacant head-coaching position.

The Magic fired coach Brian Hill on Wednesday and are believed to be seeking a replacement who can bring an up-tempo style and nurture the skills of budding big man Dwight Howard.

Iavaroni would fit both qualities. He has served as lead assistant for the past 3 1/2 seasons of his five-year stint with the Suns, who have led the league in scoring since 2004-05. He also has played a major part in the development of center Amar? Stoudemire.

Memphis was the first team to meet with Iavaroni about a head-coaching position this month and might be a more likely fit.

Memphis star Pau Gasol requested a trade in January but seemed to back off that stance when the season ended. While acknowledging that he could still be traded, Gasol said he wants to remain a Grizzly.

"I do," Gasol said. "But the draft (lottery) didn't go our way, and now other things are going to have to happen to be a better team. I'm talking about the (next) coach and general manager. I don't know how much this affects my situation. We'll see. Let's see how the franchise reacts."

Asked who he would endorse as the next head coach, Gasol said his wishes would remain private.

"I'll give my opinion to Mike Heisley," Gasol said, referring to the team's owner. "I appreciate that he wants my input. When the time comes, I'll tell Mike what I think."

Sanford Health announced on Wednesday during a groundbreaking ceremony for a new children?s hospital building that Mitchell, South Dakota native and NBA player Mike Miller and his wife Jennifer are donating $1 million to help ill children.  The money will establish the Mike and Jennifer Miller Endowment Fund which will provide support for Sanford Children?s Hospital.  Out of tremendous gratitude, Sanford has named its pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) the Mike and Jennifer Miller Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

?Everybody in South Dakota knows Mike as a basketball player,? says Sanford Health president and CEO Kelby Krabbenhoft.  ?Mike and Jen will long be remembered for their charity and philanthropy. Mike?s basketball life is being used for much more than what people see...he and Jen are going to directly impact the lives of children and families. Mike and his family are a blessing to our region and its people.?

League sources said Tuesday night that Phoenix vice president David Griffin and assistant coach Marc Iavoroni, who are considered the leading candidates for the GM and coaching job in Memphis, will consider the Sonics after the lottery shakeup.

"I'm pretty certain that we're going to hire the GM before we do anything else," Wilkens said. "We just want to be thorough. There have been formal talks, very good talks."

Having the No. 2 pick takes pressure off Wilkens to find a GM before the draft. The Suns have said they will not release employees under contract until after the draft, while San Antonio assistant GM Sam Presti, believed to be interested in the Seattle job, can't speak with teams until the Spurs are out of the playoffs.

Phoenix Suns assistant coach Marc Iavaroni said Saturday that he has had an informal meeting with Memphis owner Michael Heisley about the Grizzlies' vacant head coaching position.

"I had a nice dinner conversation with Michael Heisley and got to know him better and really liked what I heard," Iavaroni said. "We struck a very good chord."

Iavaroni, mentioned for head coaching jobs the last few seasons, said he hasn't had contact with any other teams and has no formal interview scheduled with the Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies also have asked for and received permission to speak with the Suns vice president of basketball operations David Griffin about a front-office job. Memphis president and general manager Jerry West has announced he is leaving once his contract ends on June 30.

Former New York Knicks coach Larry Brown and the University of Florida's Billy Donovan also met with Heisley about the vacancy, according to a report by The Commercial Appeal newspaper in Memphis.

Suns assistant coach Marc Iavaroni had an initial discussion with the Memphis Grizzlies about their vacant coaching job, a league source said.

Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver said he had not granted permission for Memphis to speak with Iavaroni or any team personnel. He and two other league sources denied a Memphis Commercial Appeal report that Suns Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin also had spoken with Memphis.

Iavaroni is the only coaching candidate other than Billy Donovan and Larry Brown in whom Memphis has shown interest. Iavaroni's recent talks with Memphis were termed as "meet and greet."