Four NBA teams are currently on the lookout for new head coaches, while most other clubs whose seasons have ended will stick with their current leaders. However, one team has notably yet to make a call on its head coach — Scott Brooks‘ doesn’t have a contract with the Wizards for the 2021/22 season, and Washington has yet to finalize a decision on whether or not he’ll be back.
Halfway through the 2020/21 season, Brooks looked like he might be the first coach to be let go, either right after the All-Star break or when the regular season ended. The Wizards had a 17-32 record and looked dead in the water, far removed from the playoff picture.
However, a second-half surge saw the Wizards finish the season on a 17-6 run, earning them a play-in spot, which they parlayed into a playoff berth. Washington didn’t last long in the postseason, falling to Philadelphia in five games in the first round. But the late-season hot streak complicated the team’s decision on Brooks, who probably couldn’t realistically have been expected to lead the squad any further, given its lack of top-tier talent outside the backcourt combo of Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook.
Those two star guards both endorsed Brooks in their end-of-season sessions with the media. Westbrook, who also played for Brooks in Oklahoma City, was particularly effusive in his praise of the veteran coach.
“If it was up to me, Scotty wouldn’t be going anywhere. It’s not even a question or a conversation to even be brought up,” Westbrook told reporters last week. “If the conversation is brought to me, I will definitely voice my opinion like I’m voicing it now and see what happens.”
Westbrook’s support of Brooks – as well as Beal’s – could play a significant role in the Wizards’ decision, according to Quinton Mayo, who suggests there has been momentum toward the two sides working out a new deal. If Brooks does return, Mayo says, it would be contingent on him overhauling his coaching staff.
Still, the Wizards haven’t officially made their decision yet, so before they do, we want to know what you think. Should – and will – they bring back Brooks? If they don’t, which coaching candidate(s) should they target? And, in that scenario, would Brooks be a good fit for another team’s head coaching vacancy?
Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts on the Wizards and Brooks!
Goodbye Brooks…….
go mske a play for Juwan Howard. going to the prosat sone point.
Wiz make sense
Juwan Howard is not going to the Wizards. He’s not going to sign up with somewhat high expectations and a coach killer like Westbrook. If Howard ever comes to the pros it’ll be a better situation than this.
I would love to know how Westbrook is a coach killer
Russell Westbrook tends to do his own thing. He’s not following no game plan, he’s going to take the ball and do what he wants whether it’s a poor 3-pointer early in the clock or poor turnover or some kind of mishap at the wrong time.
In other words Russell Westbrook is not going to win anything. You don’t win coach will get fired or have a heart attack. Kilt.
If Beal wants him he will go nowhere.. atleast till he signs a long term deal
Brooks isn’t the problem in Washington, Russ is the one who needs to go.
Harden quit on your team. Repeat after me. Harden quit on YOUR “team”. Fat Jesus is in decline and is going to be the PG version of Shawn Kemp by the age of 40.
I don’t even like Russ, but I got to give credit where it’s due. Westbrook carried the Wiz to the play-in tourney. He was amazing after he shook off the injury and they just let Russ be Russ.
Answer the question robohouston, nobody cares about your agenda.
A new contract to retain Brooks would be indefensible
I think Brooks stays one more year. Maybe unless Budenhozer is available? He’s not a bad coach. For some reason the last few years, he has been given a raw deal with injuries. This year he lost his best interior offensive threat in Bryant. Give him a healthy squad and a competent center who can get back on defense and grab boards and he should be fine.
FYI – I think Wizards grade for Steven Adams. Russ and Brooks (if he is still there) are extremely familiar with him and they have a glaring hole at the center position. Adams would bring toughness and defense to a team that didn’t have much identity on the interior. Problem is, if you bring in Adams via trade, a guy like Gafford who was thriving after the trade from Chicago will regulate to bench duties again. He can be a starting 5 in this league because he doesn’t do stuff that is not asked of him. Boards and defense and playing 6’10 and not 6’5.
Everybody is waiting on the MIL/BRK series to end.
I thought the star-less Wiz looked pretty good for a team of backups in the bubble. Brooks is a decent coach, I don’t think they’ve underperformed with him, and I wouldn’t push him out.
Brooks is a prototype for the modern NBA HC. He’s not much of a coach, or at least he doesn’t bother doing much coaching. But he has the resume and the wardrobe, and makes the perfect front man. He may not realize it, but that also makes him the perfect fall guy. There’s really no good reason to fire him (other than needing a fall guy), but there was no good reason to hire him in the first place either.
Keep the man
The grandmaster of not getting fired/keeping his job will stay alive
It doesn’t matter who the coach is if you dont sign up decent strong players around beal and westbrook… the gizzards wont go anywhere.
I truly don’t know if they re-sign him or not, but if they do, he might well be on the shortest leash in NBA history.
Brooks on his way to a color spot on TNT games.
The players know that what they say to media on this subject is a good gesture and endearing, but a non-factor in the scheme of things. Many times, not even consistent to what is said in the actual exit meetings.
But, you all know this.
A player might want to deflect talk that he got a coach fired… he might say differently in private… I think Beal might like how his voice has been heard though.
It is the main reason to keep him. His OKC record is a ways back.
A successor may not do better. Hachimura is the x-factor. (Get Mr.Miyagi and Yuta Watanabe from TOR lol)
Seriously somebody who can win in DC.
I agree jump shot. Especially when you really look at what Westbrook said. They’re saying it’s an endorsement but I think it’s kind of a casual, “yeah he’s fine,” type of statement. “I like him so if he stays that’ll be great,” kind of thing. Not a real strong endorsement in my mind.
Not saying Westbrook is being honest, but I’m not sure how interpret a direct “if it was up to me, Scotty wouldn’t be going anywhere” as “not a real strong endorsement.” He literally states he would keep him. What do you want Russ to do, go kiss his feet and tell the media he looooves Scott and will throw a temper tantrum if he’s fired?