ESPN News Services
Mar 28, 2025, 12:38 PM ET
The Memphis Grizzlies fired Taylor Jenkins, their winningest coach, on Friday with the team struggling down the stretch and at risk of losing home-court advantage for the postseason.
Sources told ESPN's Shams Charania that Jenkins was called into the Grizzlies' office Friday morning and told he was being fired.
"I'm genuinely appreciative of Taylor's contributions to this team and this city over the past six seasons," Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman said in a statement. "This was a difficult decision, given the consistent and tangible development of our players and overall success under Taylor's leadership. I wish Taylor the very best going forward."
Jenkins, 40, had served as Grizzlies coach since 2019-20 -- the same season Ja Morant was named Rookie of the Year. The Grizzlies made three postseason appearances with Jenkins, with one playoff series win.
Memphis has lost four of its past five games, with Morant sidelined due to a strained hamstring, and has gone 8-11 since the All-Star break, the 21st-best record in the NBA in that span.
The Grizzlies host the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, with the teams entering with matching 44-29 records. That starts a stretch in which eight of Memphis' final nine opponents are either playoff teams or contending for a play-in spot. It's still possible, at least mathematically, that Memphis could get back to No. 2 in the West, and it's highly unlikely that the Grizzlies will fall into the play-in tournament range.
Memphis did not announce an interim coach Friday, and the team is not practicing.
Jenkins had turned over his coaching staff this season and brought in a new offense based on spacing. Despite being plagued by turnovers, Memphis spent a large part of the season second in the West. But other teams surged as the Grizzlies' rough patch dropped them to fifth place.
Earlier this season, Jenkins passed Lionel Hollins to become the winningest coach in Grizzlies history. He leaves with a 250-214 record (.539), having coached the most games in franchise history.
Memphis had turned things around this season after a 27-55 campaign in 2023-24, which was marred by the absence of Morant for 73 games due to injury and suspension.
But most of the success had been against teams with losing records. Against the 13 other teams that currently are over .500, the Grizzlies are 11-20 and getting outscored by 77 points. Against the 16 clubs at .500 or worse, the Grizzlies are 33-9, outscoring those opponents by 462 points.
Jenkins signed a multiyear contract extension with the Grizzlies in June 2022. He previously worked as an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks (2013-18) and Milwaukee Bucks (2018-19). He had been the fifth-longest-tenured coach with his current club in the league, behind only San Antonio's Gregg Popovich, Miami's Erik Spoelstra, Golden State's Steve Kerr and Denver's Michael Malone -- all of them having won NBA titles.
The Associated Press and Field Level Media contributed to this report.
