The Memphis Grizzlies have fired Head Coach Taylor Jenkins with nine games left in their 2024-25 regular-season campaign. The dismissal comes after six years of service wherein Jenkins accumulated a 250-214 record. The Grizzlies currently stand at 44-29, fifth in the NBA’s Western Conference. Jenkins accumulated only two losing seasons during his half-dozen in Memphis.

The Grizzlies distributed a fairly spare press release following the firing:

Memphis, Tenn. – The Memphis Grizzlies today announced they have parted ways with head coach Taylor Jenkins.

“I’m genuinely appreciative of Taylor’s contributions to this team and this city over the past six seasons,” said Grizzlies President and GM of Basketball Operations Zach Kleiman. “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.”

ESPN published an article augmenting the reasoning behind the move.

Sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania that Jenkins was called into the Grizzlies’ office Friday morning and told he was being fired. The team believed that Jenkins had lost the locker room over the course of the season and that making a change now might mitigate how the Grizzlies finish the season.

According to ESPN, lead assistant Tuomas Iisalo will serve as the interim head coach. The Grizzlies had overhauled the coaching staff underneath Jenkins prior to the start of the season.