Grizzlies dismiss coach Jenkins
The Memphis Grizzlies fired head coach Taylor Jenkins, the team announced Friday.
Jenkins' former assistant, Tuomas Iisalo, will act as interim coach, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania. Iisalo was named EuroCup Coach of the Year last season after guiding LNB Elite side Paris Basketball to the EuroCup title.
Memphis also parted ways with assistant coaches Noah LaRoche and Patrick St. Andrews, ESPN's Charania and Tim MacMahon report.
"I'm genuinely appreciative of Taylor's contributions to this team and this city over the past six seasons," Grizzlies president and GM of basketball operations 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."
The Grizzlies rank fifth in the Western Conference with a 44-29 record. They're 8-11 since the All-Star break and have the ninth-hardest schedule remaining with nine games left to play, according to Tankathon.
Memphis has struggled against teams over .500, going 11-20 on the season.
The Grizzlies hired Jenkins, a former Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks assistant, in 2019. He led Memphis to three straight playoff appearances from 2021-23, including a Western Conference semifinals appearance in 2022.
Jenkins accumulated 250 wins with the Grizzlies, the most in franchise history.
His dismissal is the NBA's second in-season coaching change of 2024-25 after the Sacramento Kings fired Mike Brown in December.