Coaching Thread

[Grizzliesfan777 0]

Just because this thread was inevitably going to be made in the coming days anyway.

Is Jenkins the guy to keep leading this team?

Should Jenkins be replaced, and perhaps with whom?

[Grizzfan7979 0]

Jenkins should be replaced. Hire Udoka. The guy brought forth tough defense and buy in from the entire celtics roster. He'd be the perfect coach for Ja and quite honestly somebody who might call Ja on his BS, which Jenkins probably can't/won't.

[GrizzTigerFan 0]

8 minutes ago, Grizzfan7979 said:

Jenkins should be replaced. Hire Udoka. The guy brought forth tough defense and buy in from the entire celtics roster. He'd be the perfect coach for Ja and quite honestly somebody who might call Ja on his BS, which Jenkins probably can't/won't.

Udoka wouldn't be a smart hire for Ja who is already going thru a huge controversy.  Not sure why you dont see that.  

[Grizzfan7979 0]

Just now, GrizzTigerFan said:

Udoka wouldn't be a smart hire for Ja who is already going thru a huge controversy.  Not sure why you dont see that.  

Because the guy cheated on his wife in a consensual relationship?

I just don't care about that sort of stuff in my pro basketball coach. All I care about is whether they're a good coach, which i think Udoka is, and does he have a good temperament to lead the locker room and keep Ja in line, in which case I think he is light years ahead of Jenkins. I'm not trying to win a morality prize here, I want to win basketball games.

if udoka wins games and puts a good product on the court I don't care if he's having pansexual orgies followed by pagan rituals afterwards. Affects me not at all.

[GrizzTigerFan 0]

6 minutes ago, Grizzfan7979 said:

Because the guy cheated on his wife in a consensual relationship?

I just don't care about that sort of stuff in my pro basketball coach. All I care about is whether they're a good coach, which i think Udoka is, and does he have a good temperament to lead the locker room and keep Ja in line, in which case I think he is light years ahead of Jenkins. I'm not trying to win a morality prize here, I want to win basketball games.

if udoka wins games and puts a good product on the court I don't care if he's having pansexual orgies followed by pagan rituals afterwards. Affects me not at all.

Not sure if you have noticed or not but Grizzlies have been getting killed in the Press lately.    So hiring a guy that got fired for unprofessional behavior to coach a player that is getting killed for unprofessional behavior isn't smart. 

[10SC-2-TOKYO 0]

15 minutes ago, GrizzTigerFan said:

Not sure if you have noticed or not but Grizzlies have been getting killed in the Press lately.    So hiring a guy that got fired for unprofessional behavior to coach a player that is getting killed for unprofessional behavior isn't smart. 

Shhhh… let him cook 

💫🤣💫

[Teddy.B 0]

They will have the ultimate player / coach relationship. 

They can troll for cupcakes together and pass each other seconds. 

[ALT GRIND 0]

Kelvin Sampson is one of the FEW coaches out there that has even HALF the gravitas of a Bobby Heenan or a Jimmy Hart.

Maybe we need to build a deeper assistant coach bullpen.  The Houston Rockets have our old friend Lionel Hollins.  He could help.  They also have John Lucas who has helped guys battle substance abuse and things like that....

The whole FO and coaching staff just feels like a bunch of lightweights and minor leaguers.  

Clean house and upgrade everything.

Is the lack of leadership from the top/down?  Per usual?

Maybe all our players peaked too (along with our spreadsheets).  I invented the ALT GRIND b.s. slogan and even I don't know what it means.  I guess it stands for Grindiness with 35% more spacing and 22.22% more dunks (I am rounding to two decimal places here)... along with a Chat Bot coaching staff.

I think Ja needs a better 1a.  Jaren seems more like an IDEAL 3rd guy.  Either don't resign Dillon at all OR try to sign and trade him.  Being over the cap it should be easier to get a solid asset back in a trade.

I would trade Tyus Jones (glorified backup but he wants to start and doesn't do all that well coming off the bench for us) and ZW and one of Vince Williams, Jr./Jake LaRavia PLUS our first round pick in order to move UP in the draft.  

Use our second round picks on draft/stash players.

Sign a veteran "locker room guy" or 3 in the offseason.  AND overpay for a "glorified role player".

Save our FUTURE FIRST ROUND PICKS (at least in 2024) just in case we REALLY burn down the league next season.

If Ja misses a bunch of games to start next season, maybe go with a "soft tank" try to get ANOTHER good pick in '24 (we also have the Warriors pick), THEN go all in for 2024-2025.  

Revist a Mikal Bridges trade -- Bane plus another asset PLUS picks might get it done.  

All we know is, our players' trade value (outside of Jaren) is probably imploding.  Bane might be the "most" replaceable.  Luke Kennard can hit WIDE OPEN 3's...  Roddy can play (and also help make up for a Dillon-less roster).  

I wouldn't be upset if the only players we brought back for next season were Ja Morant, Jaren, Adams (core pieces) along with Roddy, Kennard, and Kennedy Chandler (point guard on a rookie deal with potential on both sides of the ball).  Oh, and BC.  He's hurt and probably can't get traded anyway but he fits in well with Ja/Jaren and he has experience (and hustles).  

I would consider bringing in a few former Grizzlies vets to complement our core: guys like Rudy Gay, Delon Wright, JaMychal Green, Yuta Watanabe (ok, he's not that old), Jevon Carter (ditto), and Jeff Green (he IS old).  Maybe even bring back Yves Pons who is currently playing in France (and played fairly well against Victor Wembanyama).

Ja/Kennard/Roddy/Jaren/Adams (with Chandler and BC off the bench) would give us AT LEAST 80% of the production we are getting RIGHT NOW but with like A LOT LESS DRAMA (especially if Ja can get his act together).  

[fanboyslim 0]

7 hours ago, Grizzfan7979 said:

Because the guy cheated on his wife in a consensual relationship?

Because the guy slept with a coworker in an uneven power situation, so "consensual" is a fuzzy term in this case which may lead to serious legal consequences (including criminal charges) for everyone involved, from the manager in question (and as head coach, Udoka was a manager) to the employer/corporation. I've been a manager in California and this was drilled mercilessly into us, and I doubt the laws in Massachussets are very different in that regard.

By the way, the woman involved with Udoka eventually denounced that his was an unwanted approach, leading to his dismissal from the Celtics before the end of his contract. If this is the person that you want to mentor Ja out of his current predicament, I don't know what to say.

Going back to Jenkins, I've said it before and I'll say it again. The only thing that matters is how he performs in the playoffs. If he spends the entire regular season coaching by spreadsheet and using a 10 player rotation but in the playoffs he reads and exploits matchups and adjusts to the situation on the court, all will be good. If not, then it's the time to discuss his long term role with the team. I'm definitely not going to toss the guy that has coached us to our first division title (with a possible second still very much in play) before he has a chance to prove himself when it matters.

[The J Crew 0]

Agree with @Grizzfan7979 on this one.

With a correction, Ime didn't cheat on his wife, becuase he wasn't married. He has a son with an actress, and they were supposedly engaged for like 7 years. But lived in different cities.

Ime put Boston in a tough situation, because like slim said, he was the one in power. Apparently the woman originally agreed the relationship was consensual. And the relationship ended. But a couple of months later Udoka made "unwanted comments" toward her. 

So while that forced Boston's hand, this shouldn't in the long-term affect Ime getting another job in another organization. Ime is doing his penance, admitted wrongdoing, apologized, and is keeping his mouth shut.  

[Ndq0327 0]

They need a coach that can actually coach not a guy that just gonna follow spreadsheets Jenkins needs to be in the FO not the sideline. 
 

Id say give Sam Cassell a shot 

[GrizzTigerFan 0]

35 minutes ago, fanboyslim said:

Going back to Jenkins, I've said it before and I'll say it again. The only thing that matters is how he performs in the playoffs. If he spends the entire regular season coaching by spreadsheet and using a 10 player rotation but in the playoffs he reads and exploits matchups and adjusts to the situation on the court, all will be good. If not, then it's the time to discuss his long term role with the team. I'm definitely not going to toss the guy that has coached us to our first division title (with a possible second still very much in play) before he has a chance to prove himself when it matters.

I dont see how you can separate his performance in regular season from the Playoffs.  Especially since its not his first rodeo in the Playoffs.  He was slow to adjust then and played 10man rotation in each series which cost us the 1rst games.      He has already shown that he will take his regular season strategy into the Playoffs.  Which should frigthen the heck out of any Grizz fan.

Jenkins trust the numbers and his system too much.  He doesn't adjust it to his personnel and too slow to counter adjust to opponent strategy.   The lack of creativity on offense in the 4th quarter is damning.   When your roster doesn't have a ton of shot creators then you run sets to get guys looks.  That's what Pops did.  Our guys dont get easy looks in the fourth.  They only get easy looks when they are running in transition.  

Also other teams play their best guys real minutes especially when they are down players.    Why would anyone expect us to win when the solution to being down Ja Morant is to add Ziaire to the rotation???    When other teams are missing key guys they simply increase the minutes of the remaining key guys.    "Next man up" worked last yr because that was Melton and Kyle.  This season its rookies.   "Next man up" right now should mean more minutes for Bane Jaren Luke Tyus Santi Tillman maybe Jitty and at most Roddy (dillon doesnt need more minutes).   

Last night when Bane played in lineups with Jitty Santi Jaren and Luke he was finally able to get going offensively.   Yet when we were struggling in the 4th we didn't see it.   Taylor is fixated on defensive matchups more than offensive lineups and that hurts us in the 4th.   Kennard played less than 20mins and nobody topped 35mins.   He also nulifies his own players.   Santi got going end of 1rst quarter then TJ spreadsheet alert mustve pinged because he was then swapped out for freaking Ziaire to start the 2nd?!?!    Santi is streaky player but when he gets going on the road that is "found money".  You ride that to the wheels fall off.    He couldve easily kept him in and used Roddy on the wing.    TJ is still in development mode no matter the situation.   We are trying to hold onto 2nd seed for dear life yet he still doesn't change his methodology.    We still played 10 dudes when right now more than ever our rotation should shrink. 

Its been 4yrs he is no longer a rookie Coach.  

[bterry1990 0]

7 minutes ago, Ndq0327 said:

They need a coach that can actually coach not a guy that just gonna follow spreadsheets Jenkins needs to be in the FO not the sideline. 
 

Id say give Sam Cassell a shot 

I think a Sam Cassell could really work because he was an all-star player... Similar to Chauncey Billups in Portland

[chipc3 0]

9 hours ago, Grizzliesfan777 said:

Just because this thread was inevitably going to be made in the coming days anyway.

Is Jenkins the guy to keep leading this team?

Should Jenkins be replaced, and perhaps with whom?

Yes. Jenkins isn't the problem. Maturity and inexperience is the problem. The team is young despite playing together for a while. They have always been the hunters not the hunted. They will learn from this season and be better next season. This is not the time to disrupt the franchise by making panicked moves. 

Let's not forget the franchise is having its most successful years ever with the 3rd youngest roster in the league since Jenkins took over. 

[The J Crew 0]

36 minutes ago, chipc3 said:

Yes. Jenkins isn't the problem. Maturity and inexperience is the problem. The team is young despite playing together for a while. They have always been the hunters not the hunted. They will learn from this season and be better next season. This is not the time to disrupt the franchise by making panicked moves. 

Let's not forget the franchise is having its most successful years ever with the 3rd youngest roster in the league since Jenkins took over. 

Agree and disagree.

Jenkins isn't the problem. A couple of posters beat this drum constantly, and I guess they have gained some converts. 

But so, so tired of this youngest roster excuse. We are plenty experienced enough to win. And Kleiman could have "solved" the young issue by adding low-price veterans the last two trade deadlines and last summer. As most teams do when they have 3 young stars in place. Instead, Kleiman let vets go, adding 5 rookies to the 17 man roster, and got even younger. It was a huge mistake then, as some of us pointed out, and it's a huge mistake now. 

Don't let Kleiman and the org use young as an excuse, when getting even younger was apparently the goal. 

Finally, Kleiman added Luke at this trade deadline (which actually made the roster younger since Danny Green went out) and apparently realizing his roster construction mistakes, agressively bid for OG and Bridges. But It's going to take more than one relatively minor trade deadline move to get the roster balanced. 

[Grizzled Vet 0]

21 minutes ago, The J Crew said:

Agree and disagree.

Jenkins isn't the problem. A couple of posters beat this drum constantly, and I guess they have gained some converts. 

But so, so tired of this youngest roster excuse. We are plenty experienced enough to win. And Kleiman could have "solved" the young issue by adding low-price veterans the last two trade deadlines and last summer. As most teams do when they have 3 young stars in place. Instead, Kleiman let vets go, adding 5 rookies to the 17 man roster, and got even younger. It was a huge mistake then, as some of us pointed out, and it's a huge mistake now. 

Don't let Kleiman and the org use young as an excuse, when getting even younger was apparently the goal. 

Finally, Kleiman added Luke at this trade deadline (which actually made the roster younger since Danny Green went out) and apparently realizing his roster construction mistakes, agressively bid for OG and Bridges. But It's going to take more than one relatively minor trade deadline move to get the roster balanced. 

 

Yeah, I'm going to throw some blame to Kleiman.  Been saying it since the Winslow trade, but there is value in having vets and not just building a roster with a bunch of guys wanting stats and their next contract.  Guys like Adams, Kyle Anderson, Solomon Hill or Jae Crowder that can contribute on the floor, but have entered the stage in their career when they and the coaches are clear on what this player is and isn't.  Not a roster full of them, but right now, these last couple drafts and deals have been great for building a roster, but unfortunately that roster is the Memphis Hustle.

[The J Crew 0]

5 minutes ago, Grizzled Vet said:

 

Yeah, I'm going to throw some blame to Kleiman.  Been saying it since the Winslow trade, but there is value in having vets and not just building a roster with a bunch of guys wanting stats and their next contract.  Guys like Adams, Kyle Anderson, Solomon Hill or Jae Crowder that can contribute on the floor, but have entered the stage in their career when they and the coaches are clear on what this player is and isn't.  Not a roster full of them, but right now, these last couple drafts and deals have been great for building a roster, but unfortunately that roster is the Memphis Hustle.

Kleiman's non-use of the non-taxpayer MLE is especially baffling. The non-taxpayer MLE rule is a gift to small market franchises, so all the non-star vets don't pile up on the glamour teams. And Kleiman just lets it go unused. 

We used it to get Kyle and Tyus with success, and then just stopped using it. 

[Ndq0327 0]

Jenkins ain’t the problem? So what’s the explanation for the rotations and lack of an actual half court offense?

Taking players out of the game because they have minute allotments is a coaching decision. Subbing players who are finding a rhythm is a coaching decision. Playing guys who shouldn’t be playing is a coaching decision not adjusting to the opposing team and allowing them to execute their game plan is on the coach. Immaturity is an excuse not a reason for the collapse we are seeing. Jenkins most definitely deserves some blame for the way the team has been playing 

[Holidayinn21 0]

1 hour ago, chipc3 said:

Yes. Jenkins isn't the problem. Maturity and inexperience is the problem. 

LOL what? You can't be serious

So whose decision is it to continually take the starters out for long stretches in the 4th?

The lack of off/def substitutions with Dillon and Tillman?

 

[The J Crew 0]

4 minutes ago, Ndq0327 said:

Jenkins ain’t the problem? So what’s the explanation for the rotations and lack of an actual half court offense?

Taking players out of the game because they have minute allotments is a coaching decision. Subbing players who are finding a rhythm is a coaching decision. Playing guys who shouldn’t be playing is a coaching decision not adjusting to the opposing team and allowing them to execute their game plan is on the coach. Immaturity is an excuse not a reason for the collapse we are seeing. Jenkins most definitely deserves some blame for the way the team has been playing 

If Kleiman fired Taylor today and replaced him with Brad Jones, do you really think the rotations would change?

Some of you act like what Taylor is doing is somehow unprecendeated, when it's actually the norm. Nobody plays starters 40 minutes anymore. 

[The J Crew 0]

6 minutes ago, Holidayinn21 said:

LOL what? You can't be serious

So whose decision is it to continually take the starters out for long stretches in the 4th?

The lack of off/def substitutions with Dillon and Tillman?

 

So tell us how much difference it makes if Ja comes out at the 8 minute mark of the 3rd quarter and goes back in 2 minutes into the 4th. Instead of what Taylor usually does, i.e. play Ja the whole or almost all of the 3rd quarter, and put Ja back in with about 7 minute left.

Do you really think adjusting Ja's substitution pattern by 4 minutes makes such a huge difference? Don't listen to the bombthrowers on this board. 

[GrizzTigerFan 0]

7 minutes ago, Ndq0327 said:

Jenkins ain’t the problem? So what’s the explanation for the rotations and lack of an actual half court offense?

Taking players out of the game because they have minute allotments is a coaching decision. Subbing players who are finding a rhythm is a coaching decision. Playing guys who shouldn’t be playing is a coaching decision not adjusting to the opposing team and allowing them to execute their game plan is on the coach. Immaturity is an excuse not a reason for the collapse we are seeing. Jenkins most definitely deserves some blame for the way the team has been playing 

Bingo! 

There isn't an NBA law that we have a 10 man rotation every game.   Everybody gets share and success and everybody gets to share in failures.   FO, Coaches and Players all contributed to these losses.   Good Coaches adapt to situations just like Good players do. 

[Ndq0327 0]

16 minutes ago, The J Crew said:

If Kleiman fired Taylor today and replaced him with Brad Jones, do you really think the rotations would change?

Some of you act like what Taylor is doing is somehow unprecendeated, when it's actually the norm. Nobody plays starters 40 minutes anymore. 

No he needs to replace him with a coach that wouldn’t think it’s a good idea to do the things Taylor does cause they aren’t good ideas. News flash you don’t win the game in the 3rd quarter you win in the 4th the Grizz suck in the 4th quarter but are good in the 3rd. It’s called adjusting if they have to sacrifice being good in the 3rd quarter to be good in the 4th then so be it. 
 

adjust your rotation to where your best players are playing when the game matters most. Build a lead in the third quarter only to lose it in the 4th cause the players that built the lead are sitting on the bench makes absolutely zero sense. 
 

The adjustments come far to late or not at all. That’s a problem 

[Holidayinn21 0]

6 minutes ago, The J Crew said:

So tell us how much difference it makes if Ja comes out at the 8 minute mark of the 3rd quarter and goes back in 2 minutes into the 4th. Instead of what Taylor usually does, i.e. play Ja the whole or almost all of the 3rd quarter, and put Ja back in with about 7 minute left.

Do you really think adjusting Ja's substitution pattern by 4 minutes makes such a huge difference? Don't listen to the bombthrowers on this board. 

Well, seeing how they have the 2nd-worst 4th quarter rating in the league, continue to blow 4th quarter leads, and no one in the top-60 in 4th quarter minutes, I'm gonna lean towards rotation problems, which makes that a coaching problem

[The J Crew 0]

Just now, Ndq0327 said:

No he needs to replace him with a coach that wouldn’t think it’s a good idea to do the things Taylor does cause they aren’t good ideas. News flash you don’t win the game in the 3rd quarter you win in the 4th the Grizz suck in the 4th quarter but are good in the 3rd. It’s called adjusting if they have to sacrifice being good in the 3rd quarter to be good in the 4th then so be it. 
 

adjust your rotation to where your best players are playing when the game matters most. Build a lead in the third quarter only to lose it in the 4th cause the players that built the lead are sitting on the bench makes absolutely zero sense. 
 

The adjustments come far to late or not at all. That’s a problem 

So you will agree that our best players play the end of the 4th quarter when the games absolutely matter most, and our 4th quarter numbers are still bad. Right? 

And our starters can't play the whole 24 minutes of the 2nd half, right? 

If so, that's what I don't get about the fire Jenkins crowd. It's not like he can bring Ray Allen in instead of David Roddy. We are roster limited, especially now down 3 of our best 7 players. And we aren't as good as last year, when we could bring Tyus and DeAnthony and Kyle and BC with the 2nd unit. It is what it is.