The Wizards were officially eliminated from the postseason race on Tuesday night and have fallen short of their preseason expectations, but the team’s disappointing season won’t cost head coach Wes Unseld Jr. his job.
Unseld will continue to hold his position as Washington’s coach entering the 2023/24 season, reports Josh Robbins of The Athletic. President of basketball operations Tommy Sheppard confirmed as much on Tuesday.
“He is our coach moving forward,” Sheppard said of Unseld.
Unseld, whose contract runs through the 2024/25 season, was hired by the Wizards to replace Scott Brooks in 2021. In his two seasons since taking the head coaching reins, Unseld has led the team to a 69-92 (.429) overall record and has missed the postseason in back-to-back years.
As Robbins notes, Unseld arrived in D.C. with a reputation as a defensive tactician, but hasn’t improved Washington’s unit, which placed 20th in defensive rating in the last season under Brooks. That ranking dipped to No. 25 last season and is at No. 20 again this year.
Despite the team’s underwhelming performance under Unseld, he has supporters, according to Robbins, who suggests that the Wizards’ relative lack of two-way players and injury woes have been factors in their struggles. Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, and Kyle Kuzma have played together just 35 times this season, Robbins observes, though it’s not a great sign that Washington hasn’t even played particularly well in those games, going just 16-19.
It will be a big offseason for the Wizards, who are expected to attempt to negotiate new contracts with Porzingis and Kuzma and are in position to secure a top-10 pick in the draft lottery. I’d expect the club to enter the fall anticipating a playoff-caliber season, with Unseld facing increased pressure to deliver on those expectations.
When you have spent the past 10+ years trying not to win …. No need to fire the coach.
The KP Trade and Kuzma trade were good. They need a true PG. Draft a PG or trade some picks for one. Morris is not a playoff PG.
They have 34 wins and are once again in the Lottery. Porzingis and Kuzma both had a good year for stats. However, they don’t win!
Washington needs to rebuild. They on trying to sign Kuzma and Porzingis. That would cement a non-playoff core of them plus Brad Beal. They are NOT even a playoff team. Beal and Porzingis are both HIGHLY injury prone. Why would you sign Porzingis to anything longer than 2 years. His body will not hold up.
Injuries and inconsistency have been a bigger factor than performance, I agree. When they’re at full strength, they can be an absolutely excellent team, especially with Gafford at Center and KP and Kuz manning the forward spots. But their chemistry doesn’t seem the greatest either. They have stretches where they look like the Benny Hill theme should be playing. Having a low-tier PG is definitely not helpful, but their problems go deeper than that.
I agree PG is what they need to address now and maybe a defensive SF. They need a all star type of PG though.
Pretty disappointing season, especially since he actually had a well balanced roster. But he did do a really good job with porzingus. And gafford and hachibatchi are still young. I think he deserves another crack at it, but next year would be a do or die year for him
You would think Mr Unseld Jr. Should and could get KP. To play like a real big. Unfortunately ever since he got hurt. He doesn’t want to play inside. Too bad really.
Reb and outlet pass. You’d think that can get you offense. Lost art Wes ……