Desmond Bane's phone was ringing on Friday morning.
The Memphis Grizzlies guard received a phone call from Taylor Jenkins. What followed was what Bane described as a "deep conversation."
Jenkins notified Bane that he would no longer be serving as the Grizzlies' head coach. The two then expressed their feelings and emotions after spending the last five seasons together.
"A lot of love for coach Jenkins," Bane said. "Really appreciative of what he did for me up to this point."
Jenkins and Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman both reached out to Jaren Jackson Jr., who was sleep. Jaylen Wells was also sleeping when his girlfriend alerted him of the news after it was public.
The general consensus from Grizzlies players was shock, but there isn't much time to digest the news. A little more than a day later, Memphis had to play a game against the Los Angeles Lakers in a key battle for playoff seeding.
As Grizzlies interim coach Tuomas IIsalo noted after the game, a slow start put Memphis in a tough position. The Grizzlies trailed by double-digits in the first quarter and even though they were able to grab the lead in the second half, the Lakers delivered the final blow.
Memphis suffered its first loss under Iisalo 134-127 on Saturday night at FedExForum.
Players didn't make excuses, but the reality of the situation couldn't be avoided. Seven of the 11 Grizzlies players who participated in Saturday's game had never played for another NBA coach.
Was it different with Jenkins and multiple assistants missing? Well, depends on who you ask.
Jackson and Luke Kennard have had multiple coaches in the league, so they're more in tune to the professional nature of the business. Santi Aldama called the quick transition "tough."
"It's different," Ja Morant said. "We just got to stay with each other, still connect and stay with (Iisalo)."
Players only meeting
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