The NBA recently announced their selection for Western Conference Coach of the Month in December, and the choice was mildly surprising. While the New Orleans Pelicans have had a great season so far, Willie Green’s name being the one on the NBA graphic seemed off.
Jacque Vaughn, in the Eastern Conference, is the NBA Coach of the Month if such a thing existed. But they’re split by conference, and Green was the choice in the West. While Taylor Jenkins’ squad was 10-4 and beat the Pelicans on New Years Eve, he was just a nominee - not the selection.
That’s OK. Because Taylor Jenkins should win the NBA’s biggest coaching prize - Coach of the Year - when the time comes for that award.
First, some concessions. Jacque Vaughan has been tremendous for Brooklyn. Joe Mazzulla in Boston is leading that Celtics team as if no controversy happened for their franchise. Green and the Pelicans and old friend J.B. Bickerstaff of the Cleveland Cavaliers are helping their squads be in a position to contend. All are worthy nominees.
But Jenkins should win, if current trends hold.
Here’s why.
Youth is served.
The Memphis Grizzlies went out this offseason and chose to get younger. One of their veteran players, Kyle Anderson, was allowed to walk in free agency. Another, De’Anthony Melton (“veteran” in regular season playing time mainly), was part of a trade for an ADDITIONAL 1st round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft which became David Roddy. Danny Green is a 35-year-old veteran presence in theory, but he’s not played a minute for Memphis so far. Roddy has logged 569.
The Grizzlies do not have a traditional veteran presence on the team. Steven Adams has played a lot of NBA basketball and is a steadying force on the floor for Memphis, but he is not the “leader” of the group. That’s Ja Morant (23). That’s Dillon Brooks (26). Jaren Jackson Jr. (23) is the fulcrum of the defense for the Grizzlies. Desmond Bane (24) helps make the Memphis offense go to another level. None of these players has fully entered their prime.
And yet, here are the Grizzlies, near the top of the NBA standings. Still. As a front office (which was chosen as Executive of the Year this past season, by the way) that has yet to operate as a contending front office in the traditional sense. In some ways that is a good thing (see the Gobert, Rudy/Minnesota trade). But take Cleveland for example. They are a young, rising squad in the NBA that has had less success than Memphis (to this point).
They went out this offseason and acquired Donovan (71-Piece) Mitchell. Whereas the Grizzlies most noteworthy offseason activity was re-signing much of their core pieces, and not adding to it beyond the young rookies they brought in.
Taylor Jenkins doesn’t have a Mitchell, or a veteran cog like C.J. McCollum. He didn’t fall in to Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum. He isn’t coaching two of the greatest offensive talents ever in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
He’s working with a young, talented core that continues to achieve at a high level. And that’s even without the reality of the team dealing with injuries to Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. - whether it was John Konchar for Bane, or Santi Aldama for Jackson Jr., the Grizzlies barely missed a beat in terms of wins and losses. They’ve found a variety of ways to win in a Western Conference more set for parity than at any point in recent memory.
Santi Aldama. John Konchar. 37 combined starts.
Desmond Bane. Jaren Jackson Jr. 37 combined starts.
And the Memphis Grizzlies are within 4 games of the NBA’s best record. Without any drama from their players in relation to the coach. Without any frustrations being vocalized, or dirty laundry being aired. The culture of the Grizzlies is strong, and Taylor Jenkins has a lot to do with that.
Doing more with less - experience wise in particular, but when considering where talent was acquired (late in the NBA Draft or undrafted players make up half the Memphis rotation currently) as well - is why Taylor Jenkins is the NBA’s Coach of the Year so far.
So, congrats to Willie Green. He’s doing a great job. Here’s to hoping the NBA acknowledges Taylor Jenkins in the Spring.