Taylor Jenkins out as coach of the Memphis Grizzlies after six years 

The Memphis Grizzlies parted ways with head coach Taylor Jenkins on Friday morning. The coach of six years had the Grizz in the hunt for home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, but Memphis has chosen to move on from the winningest coach in franchise history.

Jenkins axed weeks before playoffs

The move was made on Friday after Jenkins was called into the front offices of the Grizzlies, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. He was left go with just nine games left the regular season, with Memphis still in the hunt for as high as a three, potentially even a two seed in the Western Conference.

“I’m genuinely appreciative of Taylor’s contributions to this team and this city over the past six seasons,” said Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman. “This was a difficult decision, given the constant and tangible development of our players and overall success under Taylor’s leadership. I with Taylor the very best going forward.”

Losing skid has sunk the Grizz

Jenkins was hired the same year that the Grizzlies drafted Ja Morant, and that marked a turning point in the history of the franchise. They missed the playoffs in Morant and Jenkins’ first year, but went to the playoffs the next three years, despite some disciplinary issues with Ja in the 22/23 season.

Last year they missed the playoffs and could barely field a full team towards the end of the year as Ja Morant and a handful of players dealt with injuries all season long. This year the Grizzlies were in contention for the two seed up until not too long ago but a skid of four losses in five games has sunk them down the standings.

Ja Morant was forced to sit out those five games with a sore hamstring, but it doesn’t look like that bought Jenkins any sympathy. Now the Grizzlies will have to replace the winningest coach in franchise history (250-214) as they look towards the postseason.

The Grizzlies have a tough rest of the way, starting with a three game home stand against the LA Lakers, Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors before hitting the road for four of their final six games.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.