The Memphis Grizzlies stunningly announced they fired head coach Taylor Jenkins on Friday after nearly six full seasons with the team. The Grizzlies will part ways with Jenkins following a 125-104 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, and with Memphis losing five of their last seven games.
Nonetheless, the decision comes as a massive surprise as the Grizzlies are fifth in the Western Conference with a 44-29 record, and are on track to make another playoff appearance. Over Jenkins's time with Memphis, he set the franchise record for coaching wins with a 250-214 record and made three trips to the postseason, leading the team to one postseason series win in 2022.
Along with the Grizzlies' current record, the timing of the firing is unusual. The team only has nine games remaining in the regular season, and they will transition to an interim head coach right as they are about to start the postseason.
The NBA world was caught off guard by the Grizzlies' decision, and here are some of the surprised reactions.
Taylor Jenkins was called into the Grizzlies office this morning and was fired in person, sources tell ESPN. Stunning dismissal. Jenkins now becomes one of the top head coaching candidates for the upcoming cycle. He had a .539 winning percentage as Grizzlies coach. https://t.co/fKRG7MNY58
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 28, 2025
Whatever the circumstances … it’s the timing. You don’t see NBA teams heading for 50 wins make coaching changes with nine games to go before the playoffs. That’s the stunning part.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) March 28, 2025
Why not make the change sooner if there are issues? https://t.co/NtH1OGiIJB
They had Taylor Jenkins favored as the 4th highest coach to win COTY not even a week ago, and he just got fired right before the playoffs.
— Bradeaux (@BradeauxNBA) March 28, 2025
The NBA is crazy. pic.twitter.com/frBN8JL3VP
UH WHAAAAAT?!
— KJ (@kelwright) March 28, 2025
Memphis changed out virtually all of Taylor Jenkins’ coaching staff after last season, which raised eyebrows across the league. But to make this decision on the Grizzlies’ bench right now… a truly surprising development.
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) March 28, 2025
Ummm … why on Earth do you fire Taylor Jenkins at this point in the season? Might be the strangest thing I’ve seen.
— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) March 28, 2025
I don't think I've ever seen an NBA team fire their head coach 3 weeks before the playoffs start. Truly insane to think Taylor Jenkins coached his last game for the Grizzlies last night in OKC
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) March 28, 2025
The Grizzlies had been playing way above their available talent level for 3 of the past 4 seasons and Taylor Jenkins might’ve been the biggest reason why
— Grant Shirley (@Grant_Shirley4) March 28, 2025
Consistently got value out of back end rotation guys
And we’re 10 games away from the playoffs?
Shocking
Taylor Jenkins will be the top free-agent coach on the market this summer
— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) March 28, 2025
There were some people not fully surprised to see Jenkins fired, but most were at least taken aback by the timing of the move with the playoffs around the corner.
Taylor Jenkins did many great things in his time with the Grizzlies.
— Shawn Coleman (@StatsSAC) March 28, 2025
However, the same questions many have had for years on whether or not he could lead us over the hump to true contention only got louder in recent weeks.
There is logic in the move, but dunno about the timing
I'm not surprised Jenkins got fired but I will go on record saying that it's a mistake. Memphis fans and reporters were telegraphing it pretty hard the last few weeks.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) March 28, 2025
The Grizzlies fire the head coach a few weeks before the playoffs?
— Growl Towel Central (@GTC901) March 28, 2025
I think I can speak for most of the fan base that we were ready for a change, but why right before the playoffs? https://t.co/gXn8se6422
i’m not going to lie, the taylor jenkins firing was inevitable and it was only a matter of time. this team is in a different place than it was in 2019 and we needed a new compass with that being said, shoutout to everything he did and for developing the hell out of a lot of these…
— myke (@NBAMyke) March 28, 2025
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as NBA World Baffled By Grizzlies Decision to Fire Taylor Jenkins.
