The Memphis Grizzlies are reeling right now after firing their longtime coach, Tayor Jenkins. The news shocked the NBA basketball world, but it didn’t happen without a reason. According to one report by ESPN, team leader Ja Morant turned on Jenkins after a career-low season in touches.
“This season, Morant is averaging career lows in touches, average touch length, and dribbles per touch this season. Morant’s 22.4 points per game is his lowest scoring average since 2020-21, his second season, and his field goal percentage (.448) is the worst of his career. That didn’t sit well with him, and he voiced his frustrations publicly and privately, sources said.”
Jenkins was one of the NBA’s longest-tenured coaches before being fired last month. He led the Grizzlies to the second-best seed in the conference twice and helped them to the Western Semifinals in 2022. It was also Jenkins who led the Grizzlies during the controversy surrounding Ja Morant, which cost him most of the 2023-24 season.
Going into this campaign, the Grizzlies had big ambitions with a healthy roster from the start. With a new cast of assistant coaches, the Grizzlies changed their offensive schemes and stopped playing to the strengths of Ja Morant. Worse still, the Grizzlies limited his usage to the lowest it’s ever been, and now there are rumblings that he’s unhappy with the organization.
This season, the 25-year-old point guard is down to 22.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game on 44.8% shooting. He’s averaging a career-low 30.2 minutes per game on a 31.8% usage rate. After firing Jenkins, it remains to be seen what will change for the Grizzlies, but they still have a long way to go.
At 44-31 and winners of just three in their last 10 games, the Grizzlies are struggling to stay afloat in the Western Conference, and fans are concerned that they are headed toward a major collapse.
NBA GMs Are Not Sold On Ja
There was a time when Ja was viewed as one of the top-rising point guards in the league. After a series of scandals and injuries limited him to nine games last season, Morant finally returned to the court, but he hasn’t been the same since.
“Does he sell tickets? Yes. Is he a top-25 player when healthy? Yes. Can he win multiple series as the best player? No. Not sure most years you can win even one,” said an NBA GM on Morant. “Plus, he is always hurt.”
Touted for his elite athleticism and superior scoring ability, Morant was tapped as the face of the Grizzlies, and he has earned a large following due to his talent and relentless approach on the court. Still, his immaturity is well-known across the NBA community, and some believe it prevents him from being an effective leader.
As a team, the Grizzlies are notorious for their overconfidence, and their habit of talking down to opponents has made them a wildly unpopular group. Even with Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane, Memphis is an underdog in the West, and they have a lot to prove before anyone’s ready to give them the benefit of the doubt.
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