After the Memphis Grizzlies shockingly fired head coach Taylor Jenkins, there has been a multitude talking points around the league surrounding the future of star Ja Morant. It certainly seems like many reports also question Morant's future with the Grizzlies, but the latest from The Athletic goes into detail about the new offense this season and the new assistant coaches.
Per The Athletic's league sources surrounding the situation, some of the grievances started when Memphis fired an assistant coach who had been close to Morant in Blake Ahearn. He also grew frustrated with the new offensive scheme that “takes the ball out of his hands.”
“League sources say Morant, in particular, was upset that last summer the team let go of one assistant with whom he was particularly close, Ahearn, who worked with the two-time All-Star more than anyone on staff,” The Athletic wrote. “This season, Morant worked most commonly with LaRoche, a former trainer with individual players who was in his first season as an NBA assistant and, like Iisalo, played a pivotal part in implementing the new offensive system.”
“Morant played his entire career for Jenkins and remained supportive of the coach up to the end, a league source said. Morant did not, however, like the new offense,” The Athletic continued. “He has played in just 43 games this season, missing this most recent stretch because of a hamstring injury while also dealing with right shoulder soreness. But when he’s been on the court, according to a league source, Morant has complained about the new scheme, which takes the ball out of his hands and removes the screens he likes to use as a ball handler to make plays.”
Why Ja Morant “hates” the Grizzlies offense under Tuomas Iisalo
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There is no doubt there was shock from many in the NBA like fellow head coaches after the Grizzlies let go of Jenkins, including Morant who stuck up for the 40-year-0ld. With interim head coach Tuomas Iisalo, the new offense continues and per the same report from The Athletic, one league source says “he hates the offense.”
“One league source who has seen Morant work out with the Grizzlies recently said, ‘Some days he looks like he’s ready to play, and some days he looks like he doesn’t want to be there … because he hates the offense,'” The Athletic wrote.
“Jenkins had begun to reinstall some of the plays Morant likes, a league source said, reimplementing the pick-and-roll and other plays involving screens Morant could use to break free,” The Athletic continued. “If doing so angered Kleiman and played a role in Jenkins’ firing, one could understand, but LaRoche was the driving force behind the Grizzlies going away from ball screens to begin with — and he’s gone too.”
Even with all the inner turmoil after the firing of Jenkins, Memphis is still 44-29 which puts them fifth in the Western Conference as they next take on the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.
