Memphis Grizzlies

Prior to the Memphis Grizzlies' surprise decision to fire head coach Taylor Jenkins, Ja Morant had made it known he wasn't a fan of the offensive system they were using.

Per The Athletic's Sam Amick, Fred Katz and Joe Vardon, Morant "complained" about Jenkins' system that took "the ball out of his hands and removes the screens he likes to use as a ball handler to make plays."

NBA insider Marc Stein provided more context, writing: "There have certainly been rumbles circulating that Morant wants Memphis running way more pick-and-roll than it does and that he does not vibe with the Grizzlies' new motion-based offense … but those schemes were not conceived by Jenkins. They were schematic alterations mandated by the front office."

Jenkins was fired by the Grizzlies on Friday with just nine games remaining in the regular season, despite the team being tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference.

The report did note Jenkins had begun reinstalling some plays Morant likes to run, which may have gone against the wishes of Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman.

Firing Jenkins came nine months after the Grizzlies parted ways with six of the eight assistants who were on his staff last season.

Per The Athletic, Morant was "upset" that Blake Ahearn was among the assistants let go because the two had a close relationship:

"Morant, in particular, was upset that last summer the team let go of one assistant with whom he was particularly close, Ahearn, who worked with the two-time All-Star more than anyone on staff. This season, Morant worked most commonly with [Noah] LaRoche, a former trainer with individual players who was in his first season as an NBA assistant and, like [Tuomas] Iisalo, played a pivotal part in implementing the new offensive system."

Given how much energy the Grizzlies seem to be putting into getting rid of all the coaches Morant likes working with, questions about his future with the organization are bound to pop up.

The Ringer's Howard Beck noted in February that one NBA executive cited Morant as a player to "keep an eye on" in the trade market this summer.

Kleiman pushed back against that speculation in a statement to Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal on Feb. 19:

“I can’t blame other 'executives' for fantasizing about us trading Ja. But it’s just that —fantasy. We are not trading Ja. Continue to underestimate Ja, this team and this city, and we will let our performance on the floor speak for itself. I’m not going to give this nonsense further oxygen and look forward to getting back to basketball.”

Even with Kleiman dismissing trade speculation then, it wouldn't be a surprise if financial obligations forced the Grizzlies to make drastic moves.

Jaren Jackson Jr., who has one year remaining on his current deal, could become supermax eligible this summer if he makes the All-NBA team or wins Defensive Player of the Year.

Either or both accolades are on the table for Jackson, whose supermax extension would be worth $345.3 million over five years if he is eligible to sign it.

Morant and Desmond Bane are already playing on lucrative contracts that will be paying them a combined salary of roughly $76 million next season. The Grizzlies haven't paid into the tax since the 2013-14 season.

The Athletic did note at least two league executives question how much demand there would actually be on the trade market for Morant if he were to become available.

Memphis wouldn't be bumping against the tax in 2025-26 as presently constructed, but it could become an issue the following season if Jackson gets a supermax contract.

Morant, who has only played in 52 games since the start of last season, is averaging his fewest points per game (22.3) with his lowest field-goal percentage (44.9) since 2020-21 and fewest assists (7.4) since 2021-22.

Despite being the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference and closing in on a fourth playoff appearance in five years, Taylor Jenkins is out as head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies.

Grizzlies president of basketball operations Zach Kleiman announced on Friday that Jenkins has been fired. Assistant Tuomas Iisalo will take over as the interim head coach, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

"I’m genuinely appreciative of Taylor’s contributions to this team and this city over the past six seasons," Kleiman said. "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."

According to Charania, "Jenkins was called into the Grizzlies office this morning and was fired in person."

Charania and Tim MacMahon of ESPN reported that the Grizzlies also fired assistant coaches Noah LaRoche and Patrick St. Andrews along with Jenkins.

Jenkins' firing comes nine months after the Grizzlies almost completely overhauled their coaching staff around the head coach. The club announced in July it was retaining two assistants and bringing in six new coaches.

Patrick St. Andrews and Anthony Carter were the only assistants from the 2023-24 staff brought back.

NBA insider Jake Fischer noted on Friday that those changes from last summer "raised eyebrows across the league," but the decision to fire Jenkins is considered "a truly surprising development."

There's no obvious indication why the Grizzlies made this decision now. John Martin of 92.9 ESPN in Memphis pointed out they have just one win over a team that had a winning record at the time of the game since Feb. 3.

Another issue that has plagued the Grizzlies over the past two seasons is injuries. It was more of a problem last season when Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart combined to play 71 games. (Morant served a 25-game suspension at the beginning of the season but only played nine games after returning before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.)

Injuries were so prevalent for the 2023-24 Grizzlies that they set a new NBA record for most players used in a single season (33). Things haven't been as bad this season, but they've still used 21 different players so far.

Jenkins was the longest-tenured head coach in Grizzlies history by total games (464). He is the franchise's all-time leader in wins (250) and is tied for second in playoff wins (nine).

The Grizzlies (44-29) enter Friday tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for the fourth spot in the Western Conference. Those two teams will play each other on Saturday at FedEx Forum.

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant returned to the lineup for Wednesday's contest against the Oklahoma City Thunder after missing two games with a shoulder injury, but he regretted his decision in the aftermath of the 120-103 loss.

"Terrible," Morant said, per Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "I should have been out. But I was out there. Regardless of out, in—there's going to be something said."

He also said, "I don't know" when asked if the shoulder injury will be an issue for the rest of the season.

Morant went 8-of-22 from the field and 2-of-9 from deep in the loss on his way to 24 points, six assists and five turnovers.

Shoulder issues have been a concern at times this season, as the Grizzlies announced on Dec. 30 that Morant had been diagnosed with a Grade 1 AC joint sprain.

He also missed time before the shoulder setback with a posterior hip subluxation and multiple Grade 1 pelvic muscle strains.

Any physical setback to Morant is sure to raise concern, especially after he underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in 2023-24. That injury, plus a suspension, limited him to just nine games last season.

He has largely played well when on the floor this season and is averaging 20.9 points, 7.4 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.

While the Grizzlies don't have anyone who can replicate Morant's production, look for the combination of Scotty Pippen Jr. and Luke Kennard to see more playing time if the team's star is further sidelined.

The Memphis Grizzlies are signing forward Lamar Stevens to a 10-day contract and releasing guard Johnny Davis in a corresponding move, per ESPN's Shams Charania.

The 27-year-old Stevens has played this season for the Motor City Cruise, the Detroit Pistons' NBA G League affiliate. The 6'7", 230-pound forward has averaged 17.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks over 18 regular-season games.

The former Penn State star has played four NBA seasons, from 2020-21 to 2023-24. He played his first three years with the Cleveland Cavaliers before spending time with the Boston Celtics and Grizzlies last season. Boston traded Stevens and a pair of second-round draft picks to Memphis last year for Xavier Tillman.

Stevens signed a deal with the Pistons last September but was waived a month later. He landed with the G-League team though and has fared well.

Now the Grizzlies will add a familiar face to the mix for 10 days at minimum. Last season in Memphis, Stevens averaged 11.5 points and 5.1 rebounds in 19 games (two starts) over 23.0 minutes per night.

The stakes are raised in Memphis now. Last year, a host of injuries crushed the team's potential. The Grizzlies had 33 players in uniform last year en route to finishing 27-55.

This year, Memphis is 36-18, sitting second in the Western Conference. The Grizzlies are en route to the playoffs and could very well make some noise when there.

Stevens now finds himself on a contender, and we'll see if he can stick around.

As for Davis, it's been a tough start to his NBA career after the ex-Wisconsin star went 10th overall in the 2022 draft. He averaged just 3.5 PPG over 11.4 MPG in three seasons in Washington, playing 112 games and starting 11. He was dealt to the Grizzlies in a three-team deal (also involving the Sacramento Kings) that notably sent Marcus Smart to Washington.

Davis isn't staying in Memphis, but as Charania noted, there's interest in him. Assuredly, a team should take a chance on a 22-year-old who was once highly regarded enough to be a lottery pick.

The father of Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant was ejected from the stands during the team's 125-112 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.

Crew chief Josh Tiven said in the postgame pool report that Tee Morant made "very specific, overtly disrespectful comments" regarding "the integrity of the game."

"The fan continued to repeat overtly disrespectful comments about the integrity of the officiating crew, so as the Crew Chief I approached security and asked that he be removed," Tiven said.

Ja Morant told reporters he was unsure of what led to his father's ejection and said Tee "probably got kicked out so I didn't" receive an ejection. The two-time All-Star added his dad was "probably complaining about something to the ref."

Ja might have a long memory.

In a loss to the Thunder in December 2022, Morant picked up a pair of technical fouls inside the final minute of the first half and earned a one-way trip to the locker room.

Ray Acosta was one of the officials for that game, and Acosta also worked Saturday's contest.

While it appears the Morants weren't happy with the refs' performance in the Grizzlies' defeat, Oklahoma City was whistled for more fouls (27) than Memphis (21), and the Grizzlies had a significant advantage in foul shots. They went 28-of-39 from the charity stripe compared to 17-of-21 for the Thunder.

The Miami Heat are running out of time to trade disgruntled star Jimmy Butler prior to Thursday's deadline, so they reportedly could consider an offer from a team that's not on his list of preferred destinations.

NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Memphis Grizzlies have not given up on the idea of trading for Butler even though he's not interested in playing for them, stating that the team "continued weighing its own Butler trade pursuit even though it knows Butler doesn't want to play there."

While Butler may be hesitant to go to Memphis, there aren't many options remaining before the trade deadline. Fischer noted that the Dallas Mavericks, who recently traded Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, "are not pursuing Butler or [Kevin] Durant."

Still, the Mavs are expected to remain active before the deadline, and Fischer stated that this has caused "many league observers to suggest that a Butler deal, at this juncture, is as likely to involve the [Golden State] Warriors or the Milwaukee Bucks as the [Phoenix] Suns finally getting him."

Fischer added that "the upcoming rise in Grizzlies' upcoming payroll, including a lucrative contract extension looming for Jaren Jackson Jr., is at the heart of" their continued pursuit of Butler.

At 33-16, Memphis ranks second in the Western Conference behind the Oklahoma City Thunder (38-9). The Grizzlies lead the league with 123.4 points per game despite star point guard Ja Morant being limited to 28 games this season due to various injuries.

Adding Butler to the mix would undoubtedly put Memphis over the top as a title contender. His veteran experience and contributions on both ends of the floor would make him a perfect fit for the Grizzlies, who have been without veteran point guard Marcus Smart since Dec. 21.

It would be wise for Butler to open himself up to the idea of being traded to Memphis, as the team could present his best chance to compete for a championship this season.

Marcus Smart could be on the move again.

ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst reported Friday that the Memphis Grizzlies guard has been the focal point of "plenty of discussion" leading up to Thursday's trade deadline. A league executive told Windhorst, "I wouldn't be surprised if he gets moved for less than everyone might've thought a few months ago."

The Boston Celtics traded Smart to the Grizzlies ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.

Unfortunately for the Grizzlies, durability has been a concern for the Oklahoma State product since he came over in the deal that landed Kristaps Porziņģis in Boston.

Smart played just 20 games last season and has been limited to 18 games this season. He last appeared in a contest on Dec. 21, and head coach Taylor Jenkins told reporters Wednesday he is still considered "week-to-week" with what was diagnosed in December as "a partial tear of the proximal extensor hood of his right index finger."

While Memphis has played excellent basketball this season and sits in third place in the Western Conference standings at 32-16, it was surely hoping for more from Smart after acquiring him via trade.

After all, he was the 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year and a three-time All-Defensive First Team selection in Boston. He was known for his hard-nosed, physical style of play that figured to fit right in with the Grizzlies.

At his best, Smart could also provide timely scoring and outside shooting, which helped him average 10.6 points per game during his nine seasons with the Celtics.

Injuries have prevented him from playing like that version of himself in Memphis, but a change of scenery could help him rediscover that form. He turns 31 years old next month and is signed through the 2025-26 campaign, so he wouldn't be a rental for just the stretch run for a team that traded for him.

As for the Grizzlies, they are accustomed to playing without him and could get valuable assets back in return if they are able to finalize a deal.

The Memphis Grizzlies are reportedly a team to watch in the trade sweepstakes involving Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler.

According to ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst, the Grizzlies are "lurking" in Butler trade talks, and an anonymous NBA executive believes part of their interest may derive from the desire to offload some future salary to set the stage for a Jaren Jackson Jr. contract extension.

Additional sources indicated to Bontemps and Windhorst that the possibility of Butler opting out of his contract and becoming a free agent this coming offseason may appeal to the Grizzlies since he could help them in a playoff run this season before opening up significant cap space during the offseason by opting out.

Butler, 35, is in the midst of a tumultuous season that will almost certainly result in him getting moved before the trade deadline.

Earlier this month, the Heat suspended Butler seven games for "multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team," after he strongly suggested publicly that he wanted to be traded. The Heat also said in a statement at the time that they would listen to trade offers.

Butler returned to appear in three games, but the Heat announced another two-game suspension on Wednesday after the six-time All-Star missed a team flight.

While Butler clearly wants out of Miami, the Grizzlies may be the one team he doesn't want to join.

Speaking Thursday on NBA Today, ESPN's Marc J. Spears said Butlers wants "just out of Miami, with the exception of Memphis."

NBA insider Chris Haynes reported something similar earlier this month, saying Butler "has no interest in being traded" to Memphis.

Compared to his usual numbers, Butler's production is down a bit this season, as he is averaging 17.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game, although he is shooting a career-best 54.0 percent from the field.

Still, there is a lot to like about Butler from the perspective of a contending team since he is an experienced player who typically raises his game during the postseason.

Butler has twice helped lead the Heat to the NBA Finals, and over the course of four playoff runs in Miami, he boasts averages of 24.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.9 steals per game.

After struggling through an injury-riddled 2023-24 campaign that saw them finish a disappointing 27-55, the Grizzlies are back to being one of the top teams in the Western Conference this season.

At 29-15, the Grizzlies are third in the West behind only the 36-8 Oklahoma City Thunder and the 29-14 Houston Rockets.

Jackson, Ja Morant and Desmond Bane have all been highly productive for the Grizzlies this season, plus they have gotten solid supporting contributions out of Santi Aldama, Luke Kennard, Scotty Pippen Jr. and rookies Jaylen Wells and Zach Edey.

That type of depth would perhaps make the Grizzlies a tough team to deal with come playoff time, although it can be argued that dealing some of that depth away for another star would make them an even bigger threat.

If the Grizzlies can convince Butler to play and give it his all in Memphis, a core of Jackson, Morant, Bane and Butler would rival any other in the Western Conference.

While Jimmy Butler will seemingly play for any team other than the Miami Heat, there is reportedly one squad he doesn't want to be part of.

Per ESPN's Marc J. Spears on NBA Today, Butler's wishlist is "just out of Miami, with the exception of Memphis."

Spears noted that Butler wants to "finish his career wherever he goes."

Butler has held strong in not wanting to go to the Grizzlies, as NBA insider Chris Haynes reported days after Butler's trade request earlier this month that he "has no interest in being traded" to Memphis.

The Grizzlies aren't desperate to add a star alongside Ja Morant, as they've put together a solid 29-15 season so far. They would also likely be unwilling to part with any key players in return for an aging star like Butler.

Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor also noted earlier this month that there had been a "lot of rumblings" that Butler did not want to be traded to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Phoenix Suns have been the team most mentioned in trade rumors with Butler, and it seems they could be the frontrunner to land him. On Wednesday, Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports reported that sources indicated "a complicated three-team deal" including Butler, Suns guard Bradley Beal and involvement from the Bucks "no longer seems impossible."

Goodwill also noted that "there have been whispers of the Washington Wizards and Toronto Raptors getting involved as well" and "Detroit and Charlotte could operate as facilitators" in a potential trade.

For Beal to be moved, he would first have to waive his no-trade clause, which could complicate things.

The Suns, who have star power with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker leading the way, have struggled early on this year, sitting in 10th place in the Western Conference at 22-21. Butler's Heat haven't fared well either, as they're locked in ninth place in the East at 21-21.

Butler wasn't much help to Miami while he was serving a seven-game suspension for "conduct detrimental to the team," and the Heat will be without their disgruntled star for two more games after he was suspended for "a continued pattern of disregard of team rules insubordinate conduct and conduct detrimental to the team."

At this point, Butler's exit from Miami seems inevitable, it's just a matter of what team he'll end up with. Though the 35-year-old hasn't had his best season this year, he could still be of great service to a handful of teams, especially a fringe contender such as the Suns.