The Memphis Grizzlies shocked the NBA world on Friday when they fired head coach Taylor Jenkins amid a tough playoff race in the Western Conference. The organization immediately named assistant coach Tuomas Iisalo as interim head coach with nine games remaining in the regular season. Prior to the Grizzlies’ next game, one with heavy playoff implications against the Los Angeles Lakers, Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman spoke about the firing of Taylor Jenkins, as per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
“I came to the conclusion that this is in the best interest of the team and urgency is a core principle of ours,” Kleiman said. “So I decided to go on with the move.”
Zach Kleiman also added that none of the Grizzlies players were consulted, and that Taylor Jenkins being fired was his decision alone.
Coming into the game against the Lakers, the Grizzlies are currently 44-29 and in fifth place in the West standings. The Lakers are also 44-29, but they hold the current tie-breaker by virtue of their 2-1 record against Memphis in the head-to-head season series. A Lakers win would ensure they win the season series and could have major implications when the playoffs roll around.
This was Jenkins’ sixth season as head coach of the Grizzlies. He was the fifth longest tenured head coach behind Gregg Popovich, Steve Kerr, Erik Spoelstra and Michael Malone. The Grizzlies first hired Jenkins ahead of the 2019-20 season. In the five seasons prior, Jenkins led the Grizzlies to three playoff appearances. Overall, he’s compiled a record of 464-250 during his time at the helm.
Iisalo joined the Grizzlies coaching staff this season after extensive coaching experience overseas. He was part of an overhaul of the coaching staff in the offseason that saw only two of Jenkins’ former assistants from the previous season retained. His most recent stop was in France where he was named LNB Pro A Coach of the Year.
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