Memphis Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman said Saturday that the decision to fire coach Taylor Jenkins was “in the best interest of the team.”
The timing of Jenkins’ dismissal, announced Friday, came as a surprise with the Grizzlies battling for playoff position in the Western Conference. Memphis is 44-29 and beginning a key three-game homestand against the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors.
It was the short time remaining between now and the end of the season that led Kleiman to fire Jenkins, who said repeatedly that the decision was his alone. He offered very few specifics into how he came to that decision, however.
“Urgency is a core principle of ours,” said Kleiman, who spoke for just over two minutes. “So, (I) decided to go on with the move.”
The Grizzlies haven’t acted with urgency. They were in second place in the Western Conference on Feb. 27 with a 38-20 record. Since then, they are 6-9 to dip in the standings and put a home-court advantage in a first-round playoff series in jeopardy.
Entering action Saturday, the Grizzlies and the Lakers had identical records to stand tied for fourth place in the conference. The top six are guaranteed playoff berths, with the top four rewarded with home-court advantage.
Kleiman said the team was not notified in advance and no players influenced his decision.
“I’m focused on how we operate. I’m responsible for everything. 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,” Kleiman said. “This is the conclusion I came to that this is in the best interest of the team and we push forward with this group.”
Assistant coach Tuomas Iisalo is serving as interim head coach, and Kleiman said he will watch how Iisalo can lead the team.
“There’s realistic expectations. There’s not going to be time to install a bunch of things this time of year,” Kleiman said. “My expectations are clarity of direction and we’ll see what we can do.”
After this homestand, the Grizzlies will have six games remaining, including road games against teams currently in solid playoff position — the Denver Nuggets and Detroit Pistons. Three other games are against teams battling for a play-in spot.
