Ja Morant should have given Taylor Jenkins some patience before shocking firing

The Memphis Grizzlies fired Taylor Jenkins as their head coach on March 28. Jenkins had been with the franchise since 2019. He's viewed as one of the brightest young coaches in the NBA. 

In an April 1 report from ESPN, Ja Morant's frustrations were cited as a potential contributing factor in Jenkins' dismissal.

"Morant is averaging career lows in touches, average touch length and dribbles per touch this season," ESPN reported. "Morant's 22.4 points per game is his lowest scoring average since 2020-21, his second season, and his field-goal percentage (.448) is the worst of his career. That didn't sit well with him, and he voiced his frustrations publicly and privately, sources said...one Western Conference general manager believed until the firings, that the team would be forced to shop Morant this summer."

Morant has every right to air his frustrations. He's the Grizzlies' star player and is entering his prime years. However, Jenkins showed Morant significant patience. The All-Star guard has dealt with multiple off-court issues in recent years, serving numerous suspensions. Between suspension and injuries, Morant played in just 61 games in 2022-23 and nine contests in 2023-24.

Morant's frustrations were likely with the overall basketball product and not Jenkins' leadership of the team. Nevertheless, if Morant had fought for the head coach to be given more time, he would likely still be patrolling the sidelines. 

For the past two seasons, Jenkins has led a team that hasn't known when or if Morant will be available. Therefore, it makes sense to build an offense that isn't reliant on his talents. You can't expect to be the featured star when you've missed significant stretches in recent years. 

Jenkins could have adjusted his game plan during the summer. Memphis isn't at the required level to win a championship this season, anyway. Morant's frustrations are valid. Nevertheless, they could have been addressed in the offseason. Jenkins deserved an opportunity to get things right. 

Now, another coach will need to navigate Morant's presence on the roster and the potential disruptions that come with it.