Grizzlies could eye bigger changes, but Ja Morant trade market may be modest

March 29, 2025

The Grizzlies are all the rage lately, and perhaps not in a good way, following the stunning parting of ways with coach Taylor Jenkins on Friday.

Just nine games remain in the regular season. The Grizzlies (44-29) enter Saturday’s home game against the Lakers in a tie for fourth place in the Western Conference standings, record-wise. Memphis is two back of the Denver Nuggets for third.

Anyway, the Jenkins dismissal has led to multiple questions about the offseason, including the roster and what’s next. Obviously, much will depend on what happens in the playoffs.

Word is, Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant was just fine playing for Jenkins — making the move that much more shocking. It’s led some to wonder if the Grizzlies will try to move on from Morant. If so, they may not have such an easy time of it these days, per Sam Amick, Fred Katz, and Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

“At least two league executives, however, questioned the demand for Morant in the trade market,” Amick, Katz, and Vardon reported. “And firing Morant’s only coach, while the Grizzlies are headed for the playoffs with just two weeks left in the regular season, isn’t going to quell questions about where, exactly, the franchise is headed. Or, more importantly in league circles, whether Morant will want to remain there for the long term.”

The Grizzlies have a chance to make this stunning decision look like a smart move. All of that will be determined by the rest of the season. If it doesn’t go well … yeah, bigger changes could be coming. This is the NBA and that is just the way it goes. And any team that’s willing to fire its coach at this point of the year, with the season in the balance, will certainly keep exploring changes, perhaps some even bigger.

The Grizzlies have the fifth-youngest roster in the NBA, and Jenkins will exit as their all-time winningest coach, surpassing Lionel Hollins.

“As this season went on, the numbers continued to suggest an early playoff exit was in the future,” wrote Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “With an 11-20 record against teams above .500, they have the worst winning percentage of the top nine seeds in the West. Those struggles have grown since the All-Star break. Memphis has an 8-11 record since then and has dropped from the No. 2 seed to No. 5.”