The Wizards are set to face a number of challenges entering the 2019/20 season, which could ultimately reinvigorate head coach Scott Brooks as the team works through its struggles, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports writes.
Brooks, who was hired by Washington in 2016 after eight years with Oklahoma City, is set to coach one of the league’s most underwhelming rosters on paper this season. The matter intensifies when you remember All-Star guard John Wall will likely sit the entire season due to a torn Achilles’ tendon.
“One thing I also want to really pipe in on is the support we have from Coach Brooks and his staff and the ability they have to pivot,” general manager Tommy Sheppard said. “When Coach Brooks got here, we won 49 games and we were one game away from going to the conference finals. That was kind of the team he got coming through the door. Now, this takes him back to his OKC days.”
The Wizards wound up missing the playoffs last season due to an assortment of injuries, and a new roster will certainly test the patience of Brooks this year as the franchise seeks to find a new identity under Sheppard.
Here are some other notes from the Eastern Conference tonight:
- New Celtics center Vincent Poirier was seen working out with Rudy Gobert recently, as relayed by Michael DePrisco of NBC Sports Boston. Poirier, who’s also a native of France, is a talented 25-year-old big man who signed a free-agent deal with the Celtics back in July.
- Veteran forward Michael Beasley turned down a guaranteed $2.5MM contract in China to sign a non-guaranteed training camp deal with the Pistons, according to James Edwards and Shams Charania of The Athletic. Beasley is set to enter his 12th NBA season, with the 30-year-old appearing in 26 games on the Lakers last year.
- Ben Nadeau of Basketball Insiders grades the Magic‘s offseason, detailing the team’s draft night, free agency period and more. In addition to re-signing Nikola Vucevic, Terrence Ross, Michael Carter-Williams and Khem Birch, Orlando was able to sign defensive specialist Al-Farouq Aminu during the first week of free agency. The team also chose to draft Auburn product Chuma Okeke with the No. 16 overall pick in June.