At the midway point of this NBA season, there were three teams with single-digit win totals.
The three seasons prior, there was a total of one.
The Washington Wizards aren’t reinventing the wheel as they attempt to rebuild their franchise. Instead, they’re joining an increasing number of NBA teams subscribing to the theory that it’s best to be at the top or the bottom of the league, but never in the middle.
Now 7-37 after Thursday night’s loss to the Jazz, the Wizards didn’t make a coaching change because they were disappointed in the win-loss record — that was to be expected. But it’s how they got there that matters, and general manager Will Dawkins must feel there’s more that can be done to develop the team’s young talent.
Whatever happens the rest of the way, the Wizards, along with the Pistons, Hornets and Spurs, will have plenty of ping-pong balls in next year’s lottery. But merely acquiring a top draft pick isn’t enough — the team also must develop that talent, find unpolished gems, and build a winning, sustainable approach.
The decision to move on from Wes Unseld Jr. was made as quietly as such a thing could be accomplished. Unseld, part of a family that matters deeply to the franchise’s fans, will move into an advisory role, while assistant coach Brian Keefe will take over for the rest of the season.
SEE ALSO: Unseld transfers to Wizards’ front office with Keefe named interim coach
Making the change in the middle of the season allows the page to be turned quickly, and postponing a search for a replacement until after the season ensures the next coach won’t have to deal with the stink of this losing campaign.
Keefe seems equipped for the job. His goal will be to further develop and play the team’s young talent, equipping them for a future as part of a successful operation.
He knows Dawkins from their time in Oklahoma City, so it shouldn’t be hard for the two to get on the same page. Keefe also comes with the Kevin Durant endorsement.
“He taught me everything I know, about work ethic, being a pro,” Durant said in 2016. “He wouldn’t take any credit for it, but he taught me everything I know.”
That’s exactly what the Wizards need right now.
Washington’s record hasn’t been a surprise, but the road the Wizards have taken to get there has been a rough one.
The last five games have included losses to the Pistons and Spurs, the other teams with single-digit win totals. Washington has had particular issues closing out games, which can reflect strategic decisions as much as the players involved.
It’s too much to ask Keefe to fix the Wizards’ defense, given the personnel available, but it’s entirely fair to bring a better late-game approach and collect some wins that can help lift morale during a trying season.
Dawkins will do his part over the next two weeks, as the Wizards try to win the trade deadline by stockpiling draft picks for what they hope is a brighter future.
As tanking becomes more prevalent, it’s those second-round picks, and edges that can be found on the margins, that are increasingly important if Washington wants to find its way back to the top of the standings.
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