There has been a lot of talk about Taylor Jenkins getting fired as head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies. But who is to blame for the call?
According to Taylor Rooks, star player Ja Morant had no part to play in the decision that was taken. Rather, the Grizzlies’ front office made the call to let Jenkins go based on how the team squandered their strong first half of the season and failed to perform up to expectations in the second half of the season.
“The decision, I am told, was about the second half of the season… I can confirm that Ja Morant did not ask for this move to be made, and the team did not know that this was coming.”
Rooks’ report helps clarify a long-standing rumor about Morant’s dislike of Jenkins playing a massive part in the Grizzlies’ choosing to part ways with their head coach. If Ja wasn’t involved, and the Grizzlies really did choose to move on from Jenkins due to the season performance, it once again begs the question; why did the Grizzlies not wait till the end of the season to let him go?
Realistically, even under assistant coach Tuomas Lisalo, the Grizzlies are not going to play much differently than they did under Jenkins, given that Lisalo was part of his coaching staff. It would have been better to give the players a sense of stability and familiarity heading into what was going to be a very difficult post-season run for them.
Hopefully, the Grizzlies know what they’re doing, and aren’t treating the playoffs as some kind of audition for Lisalo, as this is quite possible the most harrowing coaching environment they can put him in to see whether he has what it takes to lead this team for years to come.
Ja Morant’s Future Uncertain
With the news that Morant had nothing to do with Jenkins’ departure, it only adds further fuel to the rumors surrounding Ja’s future with the Grizzlies. There have been a lot of rumors that Morant could be the first one to make an exit this summer as the franchise look to rebuild around Jaren Jackson Jr. One NBA insider even said the situation was worth monitoring heading into the summer.
However, the Grizzlies, at least for now, don’t seem to have any intention of trading the former All-Star.
For his part, Ja has been silent about any such rumors, choosing not to address any of the rumors and playing his cards close to the vest. Some have wondered whether he will want to stick around with the Grizzlies after this call. But if Morant were to go, where would he land?
Well, he is one of the seven options we identified for the Miami Heat this offseason as they look to rebuild in the aftermath of the Jimmy Butler trade. We tried looking at what a hypothetical package for Morant could look like, and it might be enough to allow all parties to feel that they’re walking away with a bargain of a deal.
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