A Friday morning shocker! Taylor Jenkins is out of the Grizzlies. For 6 seasons, 5th seed in the West currently, culminating in an unexpected firing that no one saw coming. Verdict? Stunning for now. The timing of the dismissal, with the playoffs just around the corner, has many questioning the reasons behind such a drastic move.

“Taylor Jenkins was called into the Grizzlies office this morning and was fired in person, sources tell ESPN. Stunning dismissal,” ESPN’s Shams Charania spread the report just after the dismissal. GM Zach Kleiman was ready with a statement about how appreciative the franchise was despite the tough decision. “I’m genuinely appreciative of Taylor’s contributions to this team and this city over the past six seasons,” Kleiman said, according to a PR statement. “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.” Despite having the most success in franchise history with a winning record of 250-214, Jenkins had to face this fate. But why?

“Something had to happen for them to make that move….” former NBA guard Isaiah Thomas wrote on X. Pretty much everyone had the same reaction. With just a few weeks remaining in the playoffs, this came as a shocking development that could derail Memphis’ ambitions. And words on the streets are, Ja Morant was the one behind the franchise pulling the trigger on Taylor Jenkins.

Blame falls on Ja Morant for Taylor Jenkins’ firing

The story has been taking a form on its own on social media since fans started blaming the point guard. A fan wrote, “Ja Morant getting coaches fired with playoffs in sight,” followed by a mentally distressed person’s GIF. Though the real reason has not been revealed, people are sure that it’s Ja who has something to do with Coach Jenkins’ firing. Guess Ja’s got more power than just dunking on people.

Meanwhile, someone stated, “Ja doesn’t like that the offense doesn’t cater to his strengths.” Ja’s offensive skills are explosive, no doubt. But according to the fan, Ja believes the offense isn’t structured around his abilities in a way that would maximize his impact on the game. So, they hinted that Ja could have been a possible influence behind the decision.

“That’s with Ja being out due to gun and injury issues,” commented one fan. The 2x All-Star missed six consecutive games because of a left hamstring strain, and the team lost four of those games. With Ja sidelined, the Grizzlies were unable to find their rhythm, which probably put more pressure on Jenkins. The situation is already intense with the regular season nearing its end. Slipping now could undo all the effort they’ve put into climbing up in the Western standings. That could be a possible reason for the franchise to take the drastic step.

Another fan shared an imaginary conversation between Morant and the front office, where the star says, “I want Taylor Jenkins gone.” In response, the Grizzlies management replies, “Let’s discuss this over the summer.” The next thing you know, it was followed by a GIF of a man (which the fan humorously labeled as the 25-year-old) saying, “I’m going to my car, get my other gun, shoot everybody’s a–.” Needless to say, the use of the GIF was because of Morant’s infamous gun incident. While most of the speculation seemed to point directly at Ja Morant, there were other wild theories floating around too.

“Taylor Jenkins really got fired for dancing by the bench down 20 💀” was one of them. A clip surfaced showing the squad standing on the sidelines, with both Jenkins and Ja caught on camera dancing away. The exact reason for their celebration isn’t clear but it’s safe to say they probably weren’t enjoying the fact that they were lagging behind.

Until the real reason behind this shocking decision comes out, expect more wild speculations and drama. But is it just a random guess, or is there something fishy brewing in the Memphis hood? With the playoffs right around the corner, what’s next for the Grizzlies? Guess we’ll have to wait for Shams Charania to pull back the curtain and reveal what’s cooking behind the scenes!