The Grizzlies, sitting in neutral since the regular season ended, will shift into gear with team owner Michael Heisley in town to meet with the coaching and management staffs. Player exit interviews were conducted immediately following the season and now Heisley will evaluate head coach Marc Iavaroni, general manager Chris Wallace, etc.

People close to Heisley tell me that the Chicago billionaire wanted to take some time to step back and remove the emotion from his dissatisfaction with another 22-60 season in Memphis.

And, no, Heisley was not courting Larry Brown and that had nothing to do with Brown’s coaching or potential salary demands. Heisley, who interviewed Brown last year before hiring Iavaroni, was simply convinced that Brown would ultimately seek to change the roster with high-priced, veteran players. The Grizzlies remain committed more than ever (especially without Pau Gasol) to building through the draft.

So why exactly did Heisley take so long to address Iavaroni? Why, when other teams with coaching situations made quick, decisive moves? Does this mean that Iavaroni is safe?

Let the offseason begin.

Insiders paint a picture of a 50/50 situation. Wallace unexpectedly dialed up my morning sports talk show (The Morning Rush on Sports56) today and didn’t counter that equation. There will be little surprise if Heisley fires Iavaroni or if Heisley keeps the first-time head coach.

If Iavaroni is fired then he probably didn’t convince Heisley that he could accept change.

What changes?

There will be a strong emphasis placed on defense. The Griz were among the worst in the league at guarding people, and Iavaroni’s defensive philosophy is an issue. His schemes mostly steered opponents to the middle of the paint – something that was mindboggling to players and others connected to the club.

There will be some discussion about offensive philosophy. Iavaroni tried using the Phoenix Suns’ principles but the free-flowing, run-and-gun style was too much for such a young team to handle. The point guards weren’t NBA mature enough to handle the responsibility and so the challenge will be for Iavaroni to play a more structured offense.

There will be some discussion about decision-making. It will be a short talk. Iavaroni wielded heavy influence over personnel matters last season, and that will change. What Iavaroni wanted, he got. Until now. His curious talent evaluation regarding players such Casey Jacobsen, Tarence Kinsey, Stromile Swift, Hakim Warrick, and to some degree, Pau Gasol, means that his power will be greatly reduced. Expect the Griz to function with more of a collaborative effort, starting with the draft.

At the moment, the fact that high-profiled coaches (Avery Johnson, Rick Carlisle, Jeff Van Gundy and possibly Mike D’Antoni) are or could be available doesn’t seem to be coloring Heisley’s view of this situation. Today will be about exploring whether the Grizzlies can make it work with Iavaroni. It’s the first step into a long offseason.

Stay tuned.