Could former Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins be back in the NBA next season?

Jenkins was fired by the Grizzlies in March. He’s now a candidate for the Knicks head coaching vacancy, according to a report by The Athletic’s Sam Amick.

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The Knicks have had a bizarre start to their coaching search after firing Tom Thibodeau. They have reportedly attempted to set up interviews with several sitting head coaches (including the Timberwolves’ Chris Finch, Rockets’ Ime Udoka, Hawks’ Quin Snyder, Bulls’ Billy Donovan and Mavericks’ Jason Kidd) but were rebuffed by all those teams.

New York has now apparently moved on to other candidates, including Jenkins and former Kings coach Mike Brown.

“Yet with the Knicks seemingly shooting air balls left and right in pursuit of employed head coaches, league sources say there is an increased Knicks focus on two former coaches who don’t require permission to pursue: Mike Brown (last with the Sacramento Kings) and Taylor Jenkins (formerly of the Memphis Grizzlies),” Amick wrote. “There could certainly be more names of (available) head coaches emerging soon, as a league source said the Knicks are planning on finalizing that list in the coming days. But Brown, in particular, profiles as an interesting option given the complicated nature of the Knicks’ inner circle.”

More: Intense prep, speed, ‘murderball’: What makes Memphis Grizzlies interim coach Tuomas Iisalo tick

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Jenkins was hired as Grizzlies coach in 2019 and became the winningest coach in franchise history during the 2024-25 season. But he was fired with just nine games remaining in the regular season after the Grizzlies backslid defensively over the back half of the season and ultimately only made the playoffs through the play-in tournament.

Tuomas Iisalo, who had been Jenkins’ lead assistant, was promoted to interim coach for the rest of the season and was named full-time head coach after the season.

Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Report: Former Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins a candidate for Knicks job