The Memphis Grizzlies fired Taylor Jenkins on Friday, moving on from the franchise’s all-time winningest coach with just nine games left in the regular season.

The Grizzlies are 44-29 and fifth in the Western Conference but had lost four of five and 11 of 19 since the All-Star break.

In a statement, Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman did not detail why Memphis made the change but thanked Jenkins for his six seasons in charge. The dismissal is a surprise given the timing, but multiple league sources expected Memphis to make changes this offseason due to growing discontent between Jenkins and the players, his assistants, and the front office.
Speculation that star Ja Morant could be traded grew to the point that Kleinman issued a strong denial of the rumor in February.
Jenkins’ unhappiness with the franchise leadership dates to last summer, according to league sources, when he was ordered to dismiss most of his coaching staff following a miserable season for the Grizzlies in which two of their stars — Morant and Desmond Bane — missed a combined 113 games and the team went 27-55.