Set for the sidelines: NBA executives weigh in on next generation of head coaches

The Memphis Grizzlies’ front office felt like Taylor Jenkins had “lost the locker room” this season following an offseason reconstruction of his coaching staff and their struggles in the second half. The internal perception was that the players, most importantly Ja Morant, had tuned him out.

“That team has lost all of [its] swagger,” a rival Western Conference player told ESPN.

“You could just tell no one was on the same page,” one team source said.

The Grizzlies also fired Noah LaRoche along with Jenkins while elevating Tuomas Iisalo. Memphis hired LaRoche almost two months before hiring Iisalo. The Grizzlies had planned to build their assistant coaching staff around LaRoche.

Jenkins went along with the front office request to overhaul the coaching staff to “be a good partner.”

“Taylor shouldn’t have allowed that to happen,” said a source.

“Players aren’t stupid,” another source said. “They know where this is heading when you fire five assistants after the season.”