The Memphis Grizzlies dismissed Taylor Jenkins, their all-time winningest coach, on Friday amid the team’s late-season struggles and potential loss of home-court advantage in the playoffs.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Jenkins was informed of his firing during a Friday morning meeting with the team’s front office. Sources indicated that the organization felt he had lost the locker room over the season and believed making a change now could positively impact their finish.
Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman acknowledged Jenkins’ contributions over six seasons, calling the decision difficult despite the team’s progress and success under his leadership. Kleiman expressed gratitude and wished Jenkins well in the future.
Lead assistant Tuomas Iisalo will step in as interim head coach. A former Finnish player and coach, Iisalo recently led Paris Basketball to a EuroCup title and was named Coach of the Year in the 2023-24 season.
Last offseason, the Grizzlies nearly overhauled their coaching staff, retaining only Jenkins, Patrick St. Andrews, and Anthony Carter. The new staff, led by Iisalo and Noah LaRoche, implemented a fast-paced offensive system emphasizing spacing, borrowing concepts from soccer and hockey. This approach moved away from traditional NBA strategies like pick-and-rolls and dribble handoffs.
Charania reported that St. Andrews and LaRoche were also dismissed on Friday.
Jenkins, 40, had been Memphis’ head coach since the 2019-20 season—the same year Ja Morant won Rookie of the Year. Under Jenkins, the team made three playoff appearances and won one series.
His firing makes him only the third coach in NBA history to be dismissed midseason after winning at least 40 games. Memphis, currently struggling without Morant due to injury, has lost four of its last five games and has an 8-11 record since the All-Star break.
The Grizzlies, who share a 44-29 record with the Lakers, face a tough remaining schedule, with eight of their last nine opponents being playoff contenders. While mathematically still in the race for the No. 2 seed, they are unlikely to drop into the play-in tournament.
Earlier this season, Jenkins surpassed Lionel Hollins as the winningest coach in franchise history. He leaves with a 250-214 record (.539) and the most games coached for Memphis.
Following a disappointing 27-55 season in 2023-24, largely due to Morant’s prolonged absence, the team showed early promise under its new system. However, defensive struggles have emerged post-All-Star break, with the Grizzlies slipping from seventh to 20th in defensive efficiency.
Most of their success this season has come against losing teams, with a 33-9 record and a +462 point differential. Against teams above .500, Memphis is 11-20, with a -77 point differential.
Jenkins, who signed a contract extension in June 2022, previously served as an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks (2013-18) and Milwaukee Bucks (2018-19). Before his dismissal, he was the NBA’s fifth-longest-tenured head coach with the same team, trailing only Gregg Popovich, Erik Spoelstra, Steve Kerr, and Michael Malone—all championship-winning coaches.