Grizzlies alum Taylor Jenkins reportedly being considered for head coaching position with Knicks

Will Taylor Jenkins, who was the head coach of the Grizzlies before him, be back in the NBA next year? In March, the Grizzlies let Jenkins go.

He is now reportedly being considered for the vacant coaching position with the New York Knicks, as reported by Sam Amick of The Athletic. Following Tom Thibodeau’s dismissal, the Knicks’ coaching search has gotten off to an unusual start.

The Timberwolves’ Chris Finch, the Rockets’ Ime Udoka, the Hawks’ Quin Snyder, the Bulls’ Billy Donovan, and the Mavericks’ Jason Kidd are among the current coaches whose schedules they allegedly tried to schedule interviews with, but each team turned them down.

Jenkins and former Kings coach Mike Brown are among the possibilities that New York appears to have moved on from. “However, amidst the Knicks’ apparent obsession with employed head coaches, sources in the league have indicated that the team is placing a greater emphasis on two former coaches—Mike Brown (who was last with the Sacramento Kings) and Taylor Jenkins (who was previously with the Memphis Grizzlies)—who do not need permission to be pursued,” Amick wrote.

One league insider has stated that the Knicks intend to finalize their list of available head coaches in the next few days, so more names could be revealed soon.

Given the intricate dynamics of the Knicks’ inner circle, Brown stands out as an intriguing prospect.
Jenkins became the most successful coach in Grizzlies history during the 2024–25 season after being promoted as head coach in 2019.

Although the Grizzlies advanced to the playoffs via the play-in tournament, he was let go with nine games left in the regular season due to a defensive slump.
After serving as Jenkins’ primary assistant for the entirety of the season, Tuomas Iisalo was elevated to the position of interim coach and later named head coach.