Something huge is brewing in Memphis! The Grizzlies have lost four of their last five games and are in a precarious position. At one point of the season, it looked like the Grizzlies would easily grab a spot in the playoffs. While they still hold the 5th seed in the West, they’ve been struggling, and any further slip-up could be disastrous for the Grizzlies. Having said that, they might have made a huge decision that could make or break their season, with the playoffs just around the corner.

Yes! The Memphis Grizzlies have decided to part ways with their head coach, Taylor Jenkins! The Grizzlies announced today that they have fired HC Jenkins after six years. Memphis’ President and GM of Basketball Operations, Zach Kleiman, stated the decision. “I’m genuinely appreciative of Taylor’s contributions to this team and this city over the past six seasons. This was a difficult decision, given the consistent and tangible development of our players and overall success under Taylor’s leadership. I wish Taylor the very best going forward,” stated the Grizzlies President.

On the surface, this move seems very odd, especially if you take Memphis’s impressive 44-29 record this season. It makes you wonder what could have gone so wrong that the Grizzlies’ front office decided to part ways with their head coach with just a handful of games remaining in the regular season. There’s no doubt that this must be a well-thought-out plan and that the Grizzlies management did not just wake up and call Jenkins into their office and fire him. So, what could have led to Taylor Jenkins losing his job despite being on the verge of leading the Grizzlies to the playoffs this season?

What could be the factors contributing to Taylor Jenkins’ dismissal?

Firing a head coach with just nine games remaining until the postseason and a playoff birth one the line seems a desperate move from the Grizzlies. However, if you connect the dots, a much clearer picture emerges. A major reason contributing to Taylor Jenkins’s firing could be the recent poor form of the team. The Grizzlies have lost four of their last five games. Moreover, they are 8-11 since the All-Star break. That record speaks volumes! And could be a major reason leading up to this decision. Interestingly, Ja Morant has missed 8 out of those 19 games, and it seems that without him, Memphis struggles massively.

Furthermore, the Grizzlies have struggled defensively big time. They’ve allowed teams to score way past them way too easily. Teams playing against Memphis averaged 117.1 points in their last ten games. That’s quite concerning, given they are eyeing a deep playoff run with the team they have at their disposal. While these are the visible struggles the Grizzlies are facing right now, a lot of things have also been done behind the curtains. There’s no doubt that Memphis’ poor form and defensive problems are huge reasons behind this decision. However, are these the only factors? Absolutely not. A lot has gone down behind the curtains, some things not a lot of us have paid attention to.

A subtle incident took place just a few days back when the Grizzlies were playing Utah. Despite a blowout 140-103 win over the Jazz, the Grizzlies left the Delta Center on a bitter note. During the game, teammates Santi Aldama and Desmond Bane got into a heated fight. In a video recorded from the stands, Bane is seen shoving Aldama during a timeout. The push was hard enough that Aldama fell back before quickly going at Bane. While Jenkins had no say in this fight, the fact that it happened right before him says a lot. This could indicate that Jenkins did not have the control you’d want your head coach to have over a good team’s locker room.

Lastly, a big change that could have started it all happened last season. What? you might wonder. Well, the Grizzlies fired all of Taylor Jenkin’s coaching staff last season, raising a lot of eyebrows. At the time, the decision did not make a lot of sense, but it does now! This could have been the start of the front office losing their trust in Jenkins and probably even starting to think about parting ways with the 40-year-old. Nonetheless, this is still a shocking move and has caught everyone off guard. Additionally, this makes Taylor Jenkins a top candidate for several franchises over the summer. Where will the former Grizzlies head coach end up? Only time will tell.