Grizzlies making big coaching staff changes for next season

May 3, 2022; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins watches during the first half in game two of the second round for the 2022 NBA playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Another Western Conference team is cleaning house on their coaching staff.

Kelly Iko of The Athletic reported Monday that the Memphis Grizzlies are shaking things up on the staff of head coach Taylor Jenkins. While Jenkins will remain in place, the Grizzlies have let go of several assistant coaches in a restructuring of Jenkins’ staff for the 2024-25 season.

The move comes as the Grizzlies, who were a No. 2 seed in 2022-23, went a dismal 27-55 this season. That was by far their worst finish in Jenkins’ five seasons in charge (and only netted them the No. 9 overall pick in this year’s draft to boot).

Granted, Memphis’ poor season was probably far from a coaching-staff failure. The Grizzlies lost an NBA-high 592 games due to injury this season and were trotting out some truly ridiculous lineups at one point because of how shorthanded they were. The staff also did well to develop some of their young pieces (such as GG Jackson, Ziaire Williams, and Vince Williams Jr.) into viable NBA contributors in spite of the lost season.

Nevertheless, the Grizzlies have decided to make some widespread changes. The hope will be that a new batch of assistants can navigate certain aspects of the job better, including whatever is going on with star player Ja Morant.