MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis general manager Zach Kleiman said Saturday the decision to fire coach Taylor Jenkins with nine games remaining in the regular season with the franchise firmly in the playoff chase was “mine and mine only" and in the Grizzlies' best interests.
Kleiman spoke to reporters after the Grizzlies' pregame shootaround for Saturday night's game against the Los Angeles Lakers — barely 24 hours after Memphis announced firing Jenkins in his sixth season with the Grizzlies. Memphis named Tuomas Iisalo as the interim coach with the Helsinki, Finland, native in his first season coaching in the NBA.
“I came to the conclusion this was in the best interest of the team, and urgency is a core principle of ours so decided to go on with the move,” Kleiman said.
The Memphis GM spoke for less than three minutes, and no Grizzlies spoke after the shootaround. They won't be available until later Saturday at the usual pregame open locker room session when Iisalo speaks to the media for the first time in his new role.
Asked if he hopes making this move now with the Grizzlies currently fifth in the Western Conference starting a stretch with eight of the final nine opponents either playoff clubs or contending for a play-in spot helps Memphis salvage the season, Kleiman said he is focused on how the Grizzlies operate. It's still possible, at least mathematically, that Memphis could get back to No. 2 in the West, and it’s highly unlikely that the Grizzlies will fall into the play-in tournament range.
“I'm responsible for everything,” Kleiman said. “I'm responsible for coaching. I'm responsible for the roster. I'm not trying to absolve myself of anything. I'm excited to see what this team can do the rest of the way, but this was the conclusion that I came to that this was in the best interest of the team and we push forward with this group.”
Kleiman said no players were consulted about the move to fire Jenkins. Kleiman helped hire Jenkins in June 2019 after his own promotion to executive vice president of basketball operations. The GM also did not answer a question about what he wants from Memphis' next coach.
Jenkins had been the fifth longest-tenured coach with his current club in the league, behind only San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich, Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, Golden State’s Steve Kerr and Denver’s Michael Malone — all of them having won NBA titles. In this season with a maturing roster, the Grizzlies' results against the NBA's best weren't good.
The Grizzlies were 0-4 against Oklahoma City, losing those games by 24, 13, 17 and 21 points. They’re 3-6 so far this season against Houston, Denver and the Lakers, the next three teams ahead of them in the West. All season, the Grizzlies were 33-9 against teams at or below .500 and 11-20 against winning ...
