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Friday was supposed to be a typical off day.
The Memphis Grizzlies were supposed to enjoy a day off before a pivotal game against the Los Angeles Lakers that impacts the Western Conference standings. Ja Morant’s potential return, LeBron James and Luka Doncic were supposed to dominate the headlines.m
But that won’t be the case.
The Grizzlies fired Taylor Jenkins on Friday morning with nine games left in the regular season. He is the franchise’s all-time winningest coach, and Memphis is currently the No. 5 seed ahead of a game against the Lakers on Saturday (7 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network).
“Shocked” is the way one league source described the team’s reaction.
There’s a lot to digest on how a team in the thick of the playoff picture decided it was time to let go of one of the league’s longest tenured coaches.
The timing to fire Jenkins was unusual. Memphis was fading in the second half of the season, but the general thought was that a decision on Jenkins’ future would come after the season. Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman provided context on Saturday morning on the timing of the decision.
"I came to the conclusion that this is in the best interest of the team," Kleiman said. "Urgency is a core principle of ours, so decided to go on with the move."
A league source told The Commercial Appeal that Jenkins and Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman played the blame game.
“No one took accountability for absolutely anything,” the source said.
Through a string of close losses, Jenkins stated that he needs to coach better in late-game situations. He did this when Memphis lost two close games in January against the Houston Rockets, and during the four-game losing streak earlier this month.
At the trade deadline, Kleiman owned the idea of particularly missing on the Marcus Smart trade. Now that Jenkins is gone, Kleiman has no choice but to shoulder responsibility, and that won't be a problem based on his public comments.
"I'm responsible for everything," Kleiman said. "I'm responsible for coaching. I'm responsible for the roster. I'm not trying to absolve myself of anything."
The Grizzlies are a young team with a vibrant locker room. When the vibes are good, it’s easy to see. And when they’re not, well, it’s easy to see.
Ja Morant’s frustrations this season with injuries have been notable. Before the season, Morant said, “A happy Ja is a scary Ja,” but he’s battled through a frustrating season.
Kleiman reiterated that the decision to fire Jenkins was his only, and didn't want to discuss Morant's frustrations.
GONE: What went wrong? Inside Memphis Grizzlies' sudden decision to fire Taylor Jenkins
When Memphis made Tuomas Iisalo Jenkins’ lead assistant, his role was centered around his tactical approach. He was a bright offensive mind who would have an input in the new offense, but he didn’t have the biggest input.
Assistant coach Noah LaRoche, who was also let go with Jenkins, played a major role in the new offensive philosophy.
The offense brought success at times, but it was fair to question if it could translate to the postseason. Morant, Bane and Zach Edey were among the players who didn’t look like their talents were being maximized.
Iisalo will bring a system that emphasizes more pick-and-roll, which should help the three aforementioned players.
Expectations aren't sky high for Iisalo, and they shouldn't be. Memphis also let go of assistant coach Patrick St. Andrews, who was in charge of the defense.
Iisalo will have a tall task of attempting to overturn the offense and defense during a playoff chase.
"There's realistic expectations," Kleiman said. "There's not going to be time to install a bunch of things at this time of the year. My expectations are clarity of direction, and we'll see what we can do. We'll see what we can execute."
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at [email protected]. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman thoughts after Taylor Jenkins firing
Continue reading...
The Memphis Grizzlies were supposed to enjoy a day off before a pivotal game against the Los Angeles Lakers that impacts the Western Conference standings. Ja Morant’s potential return, LeBron James and Luka Doncic were supposed to dominate the headlines.m
But that won’t be the case.
The Grizzlies fired Taylor Jenkins on Friday morning with nine games left in the regular season. He is the franchise’s all-time winningest coach, and Memphis is currently the No. 5 seed ahead of a game against the Lakers on Saturday (7 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network).
“Shocked” is the way one league source described the team’s reaction.
There’s a lot to digest on how a team in the thick of the playoff picture decided it was time to let go of one of the league’s longest tenured coaches.
Surprising decision?
The timing to fire Jenkins was unusual. Memphis was fading in the second half of the season, but the general thought was that a decision on Jenkins’ future would come after the season. Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman provided context on Saturday morning on the timing of the decision.
"I came to the conclusion that this is in the best interest of the team," Kleiman said. "Urgency is a core principle of ours, so decided to go on with the move."
The relationship between Zach Kleiman and Taylor Jenkins
A league source told The Commercial Appeal that Jenkins and Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman played the blame game.
“No one took accountability for absolutely anything,” the source said.
Through a string of close losses, Jenkins stated that he needs to coach better in late-game situations. He did this when Memphis lost two close games in January against the Houston Rockets, and during the four-game losing streak earlier this month.
At the trade deadline, Kleiman owned the idea of particularly missing on the Marcus Smart trade. Now that Jenkins is gone, Kleiman has no choice but to shoulder responsibility, and that won't be a problem based on his public comments.
"I'm responsible for everything," Kleiman said. "I'm responsible for coaching. I'm responsible for the roster. I'm not trying to absolve myself of anything."
Locker room frustration
The Grizzlies are a young team with a vibrant locker room. When the vibes are good, it’s easy to see. And when they’re not, well, it’s easy to see.
Ja Morant’s frustrations this season with injuries have been notable. Before the season, Morant said, “A happy Ja is a scary Ja,” but he’s battled through a frustrating season.
Kleiman reiterated that the decision to fire Jenkins was his only, and didn't want to discuss Morant's frustrations.
GONE: What went wrong? Inside Memphis Grizzlies' sudden decision to fire Taylor Jenkins
Thoughts on Tuomas Iisalo
When Memphis made Tuomas Iisalo Jenkins’ lead assistant, his role was centered around his tactical approach. He was a bright offensive mind who would have an input in the new offense, but he didn’t have the biggest input.
Assistant coach Noah LaRoche, who was also let go with Jenkins, played a major role in the new offensive philosophy.
The offense brought success at times, but it was fair to question if it could translate to the postseason. Morant, Bane and Zach Edey were among the players who didn’t look like their talents were being maximized.
Iisalo will bring a system that emphasizes more pick-and-roll, which should help the three aforementioned players.
Expectations aren't sky high for Iisalo, and they shouldn't be. Memphis also let go of assistant coach Patrick St. Andrews, who was in charge of the defense.
Iisalo will have a tall task of attempting to overturn the offense and defense during a playoff chase.
"There's realistic expectations," Kleiman said. "There's not going to be time to install a bunch of things at this time of the year. My expectations are clarity of direction, and we'll see what we can do. We'll see what we can execute."
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at [email protected]. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman thoughts after Taylor Jenkins firing
Continue reading...
