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Three days after Hubie Brown's sudden retirement, Memphis might have a replacement -- minus the interim tag.

Former Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Fratello met with president of basketball operations Jerry West and general manager Dick Versace for about four hours Saturday, and said another meeting was expected.

Getty ImagesFratello

"We talked about the future of the franchise, talked about what they were looking for, ran down all the players on the team and said we'd be back and talk once again," Fratello said Sunday. "That's about as far as it's gone."

While Fratello said Sunday he had "a nice conversation" with the Grizzlies, he added no deal was in place for him to take over the club.

Fratello addressed the issue during the telecast of the Boston-Miami game, which he was working as a color commentator for the Sunshine Network. He said he met with West and general manager Dick Versace for about four hours Saturday, and said another meeting was expected.

Brown

"I'm just waiting to hear back from Memphis, and we'll go from there," Fratello said.

Fratello has been mentioned as the replacement for 71-year-old Brown, who retired Thursday citing unspecified health reasons. Assistant coach Lionel Hollins was named interim coach.

One of the details that needs to be worked out is a settlement between Fratello and TNT, the network he's worked for for years as an NBA analyst. But it's considered a minor sticking point and isn't expected to hold up the deal.

He walked into the Heat locker room about 90 minutes before tipoff Sunday, and was immediately greeted with a shout of "Congratulations" from Miami center Shaquille O'Neal, who offered Fratello a big handshake.

"Nothing's happened yet," Fratello told O'Neal. "We just talked. That's all."

Still, O'Neal continued to lobby Fratello not to send too many defenders his way when the Heat and Grizzlies meet this season.

"When you get it, don't double-team me," O'Neal said, "because I'll tear you up."

David Sherman/NBAE via Getty ImagesLionel Hollins hasn't fared well as Memphis' interim coach after Hubie Brown's sudden retirement.

Although an announcement is expected as early as Monday, Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley said the decision on a new coach is being handled by West, and he is unaware of a timetable for naming Brown's replacement.

"Jerry will tell me what the timetable is," Heisley said. "He hasn't told me who it is going to be. I don't know any more than you guys know about who it is going to be and when it is going to be."

Fratello would replace Brown, 71, who retired for medical reasons that he refuses to divulge. Assistant Lionel Hollins was named interim coach in time for Friday's game against Minnesota, which the Grizzlies lost 115-90. Memphis lost again 98-85 to the Dallas Mavericks.

"Nothing's been said to me," Hollins told AP before Saturday's game against the Mavericks. "I just know I was asked to coach. That's what I was asked to do."

Fratello spent 13 seasons as a head coach in the NBA, compiling a career record of 592-499, including 20-34 in the playoffs. He coached the Hawks from 1983-90, going 324-253 (including three games in the 1980-81 season) and the Cavs from 1993-99 (248-212).

Fratello also worked for four seasons as Brown's assistant with Atlanta and the New York Knicks.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.