Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone shares unfiltered reaction to Taylor Jenkins’ firing.
As far as their record is concerned, the Memphis Grizzlies are one of the best teams in the Western Conference. After all, they hold the fifth seed in the conference with a 44-29 record.
They are currently tied with the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the two teams’ much-anticipated matchup this season.
The Grizzlies will likely earn a top-six finish this season. But the top brass seemingly didn’t like the team’s direction, which led to the sudden announcement of head coach Taylor Jenkins‘ firing.
The Grizzlies’ decision to fire Jenkins puzzled nearly everyone in the NBA community and it includes Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone.
Malone spoke on learning about the news during the postgame conference after the Nuggets’ win over the Utah Jazz.
“I was shocked. Shocking and odd at the same time. There’s gotta be something going on that I’m not privy to,” Malone said, per Vic Lombardi on X.
The Nuggets head coach suspects the full story about Jenkins’ sacking is yet to be unveiled.
Malone’s ‘shocked’ reaction is justified considering he shares the same agent as the ex-Grizzlies head coach.
Jenkins and Malone are represented by one agent from the Creative Artists Agency (CAA).
Regardless of what has happened behind the scenes between Jenkins and the Grizzlies, sacking a head coach nine games before the postseason is unprecedented, especially for a potential WCF-bound team.
Sure, the Grizzlies haven’t defeated a team above the .500 mark apart from the Dallas Mavericks since early February 2025, but the decision could have been delayed until the offseason.
On top of that, Jenkins was the winningest coach for the organization. In six seasons with the Grizzlies, he had a 250-214 record, including three postseason appearances.
