The Memphis Grizzlies caught everyone by surprise when they fired head coach Taylor Jenkins because the playoffs is just around the corner. The 40-year-old tactician leaves Memphis with a 250-214 record, making him the winningest coach in franchise history.
ESPN’s Shams Charania revealed that Jenkins had “lost the locker room over the course of the season,” hence his dismissal. An anonymous source confirmed this, saying that Jenkins has been at odds with the front office for quite some time.
“Zach (Kleiman) blamed Taylor. Taylor blamed Zach. No one takes accountability for absolutely anything,” a league source said via The Commercial Appeal’s Damichael Cole. “You got guys checking out (on Jenkins), and they’re a top five team in the West about to go to the playoffs.”
Lead assistant Tuomas Iisalo will be the team’s interim head coach. Iisalo is a former professional player and boasts an extensive coaching CV overseas, including winning the 2024 EuroCup and being named coach of the year.
Memphis Grizzlies jockey for playoff position
The Memphis Grizzlies have lost four of their last five games, and their 125-104 defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder may have been the last straw for Taylor Jenkins.
Jenkins has been with the team since the 2019-20 campaign – the same season Ja Morant won NBA Rookie of the Year. Memphis overhauled Jenkins’ coaching staff last offseason, but the organization did not feel the team was progressing enough.
Injuries to their key players played a role in their struggles, especially Ja Morant, who has been out for a while due to a hamstring injury. Still, Memphis will unlikely fall into the play-in range because they’re fifth in the Western Conference with a 44-29 record.
