Dave McMenaminMar 29, 2025, 01:58 PM ET
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- Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN.
- Coated the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Grizzlies basic supervisor and govt vp of basketball operations Zach Kleiman took sole duty for the marvel firing of trainer Taylor Jenkins on Friday.
“I got here to the belief that that is in the most efficient passion of the workforce, and urgency is a core idea of ours, so made up our minds to head on with the transfer,” Kleiman mentioned Saturday, talking publicly for the primary time since Jenkins’ dismissal whilst his workforce had shootaround in preparation for its recreation towards the Los Angeles Lakers.
Kleiman mentioned he didn’t discuss to someone at the roster earlier than letting Jenkins move.
“The gamers weren’t consulted in this determination,” Kleiman mentioned. “This determination is mine and mine simplest.”
Jenkins, 40, coached Memphis to a 250-214 report (.539) in just about six complete seasons and a 44-29 report this season — No. 5 within the Western Convention with 9 video games ultimate within the common season on the time of his dismissal.
However the Grizzlies had misplaced 4 in their previous 5 via a mean margin of 16.8 issues and had long past 8-12 of their previous 20 video games.
Kleiman, 37, used to be increased to his present position accountable for the Memphis entrance place of job in April 2019. Jenkins used to be employed two months later after six seasons as an assistant trainer in Atlanta and Milwaukee beneath Mike Budenholzer.
The overall supervisor mentioned Jenkins “leaves the workforce in a significantly better place than when he began” however would now not cope with what caused him to fireplace the trainer at this juncture of the season.
“On this case, I’m going to depart it that I in fact gave this actual concept and got here to the belief that that is in the most efficient passion of our workforce going ahead,” Kleiman mentioned.
Tuomas Iisalo, named the 2024 EuroCup Trainer of the 12 months for his paintings main Paris Basketball, used to be named the Grizzlies’ meantime head trainer. His first recreation led to a 134-127 loss to the Lakers.
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“There is obviously noise now across the workforce and that’s the reason one thing that may also be a destabilizing issue for the entire workforce. And we simply mentioned it like regulate the controllables, there will likely be different speaking issues optimistically in a couple of days and let’s do what we do highest, which is our personal task,” Iisalo informed journalists earlier than the sport, with regards to him assembly with the workforce previous. “After which, we mentioned additionally the time constraints, what we need to do this, how we need to means it day-to-day. One observe at a time.”
Kleiman is positive.
“Taking a look ahead to seeing what he is in a position to do with this workforce,” he mentioned of Iisalo. “There’s reasonable expectancies. There is now not going to be time to put in a host of items this time of the yr. My expectancies are readability of course, and we’re going to see what we will be able to do, we’re going to see what we will be able to execute.”
Requested if the rest of the common season and the playoffs could be an audition for Iisalo to completely suppose the position of training the workforce, Kleiman sidestepped the query.
“We are centered at the Lakers this night,” Kleiman mentioned.
