Mar 5, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins talks with guard Ja Morant (12) during the second quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Former Grizzlies Coach Remains in Consideration for Knicks’ Job

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Henry Brown | Last updated Jun 14, 2025 8:00 AM ET

Amidst all of the chaos surround the New York Knicks' ongoing coaching search, a process that's seen an eventful first week of action, it can be easy to forget just how long it took for them to find the man they're now tasked in replacing in Tom Thibodeau.

They interviewed over a dozen other candidates before settling on Thibodeau in the summer of 2020, and the veteran went on to immediately win Coach of the Year before leading the team into eight total playoff series, eventually all the way to these most recent Eastern Conference Finals. New York's desperate-looking attempts to poach other presently-employed coaches may not be a good look, but this front office has gotten the job done before.

According to Knicks insider Ian Bagley, the Knicks are still keeping eyes on Taylor Jenkins, the former Memphis Grizzlies head coach who helped lead the squad out of some dark years into one of the most well-run organizations in the league.

Per @Ianbegley, Taylor Jenkins remains squarely on the Knicks' radar for their head coaching vacancy https://t.co/xAokYUqGCL pic.twitter.com/7AQ7KBQo0Y
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 12, 2025

Jenkins was one of the few NBA coaches who'd been with his team longer than Thibodeau, having spent the last six seasons helping to build the Grizzlies into the proficient unit they are today.

Their season went off the rails in 2024-25, resulting in Jenkins' firing just before the regular season's end, but few coaches are as known for squeezing value out of the unfavorable hands they're given than he was during his Memphis tenure. The team dealt with second-to-none injury misfortune and a steady stream of controversies surrounding star Ja Morant, but you wouldn't always know how much he was trying to deal with by just looking at the numbers.

Get to know former Memphis Grizzlies Head Coach Taylor Jenkins:

Regular Season Record: 250-214 (Win % .539)

Playoff Record: 9-14 (Win % .391)

Grizzlies (OFFRTG) Each Year Under Jenkins:

2019-20: 108.7 (21st)
2020-21: 111.7 (15th)
2021-22: 114.3 (4th)
2022-23: 114.7 (11th)… pic.twitter.com/zEUu5p6MGY
— Joe (@ClutchMstr32) June 13, 2025

He's one of the free agent coaches most likely to find a new home by the start of the 2025-26 season, a well-respected name with a strong resume as a head and assistant coach. He made a career for himself by working with the roster he had, and this talented Knicks roster realistically provides him with plenty to get the team right back on track.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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