Former Pistons general manager Troy Weaver will become a senior advisor with the Wizards, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
As rumored last week, Weaver will reunite with Monumental Sports/Wizards president Michael Winger and GM Will Dawkins, who took over the team last summer. The three executives spent more than a decade together in Oklahoma City’s front office.
Wojnarowski hears that Weaver’s agent, Andy Miller of Klutch Sports, is finalizing a contract to have Weaver in place in time for Wednesday’s draft and the start of free agency this weekend. A team executive tells Woj that Winger and Dawkins consider Weaver to be a “truth teller” who is willing to challenge them regarding difficult decisions.
Weaver is also viewed as an expert on prospect evaluation and player development, according to Wojnarowski, who cites his role in creating the powerful Thunder team built around Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.
Weaver is a Washington, D.C., native, and Wojnarowski notes that he launched his career as head coach of DC Assault, a successful AAU program. That led to assistant coaching jobs in the college ranks with Pittsburgh, New Mexico and Syracuse and eventually an NBA opportunity as the head scout in Utah.
Weaver and the Pistons parted ways in what was termed a “mutual decision” earlier this month as part of an organizational housecleaning after Trajan Langdon was hired as head of basketball operations. Detroit also dismissed head coach Monty Williams and is still searching for his replacement.
Although he didn’t produce much on-court success during his four years with the Pistons, Weaver assembled a promising collection of young talent. Draft picks during his tenure produced Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson.
“Weaver is also viewed as an expert on prospect evaluation and player development.” He certainly brought that expertise to the Pistons.
There’s a big difference between prospect evaluation and building a team that can compete. With the exception of Killian, Weaver drafted prospects with talent. He failed to build out a team that could leverage those talents to actually compete. Big difference between identifying talent and running the show. He’s better suited to the former, not the latter.
It sure seems like certain executives around the league have a talent for helping teams hit rock bottom. Seems like Detroit has reached that point and is ready to turn things around, so now the Wizards are looking to do the same thing. Bring Weaver in to navigate them to rock-bottom.
Recent years
Those Wizards 3 executives traded Paul George for SGA, Jalen Williams and 5 First round picks
In 2022 nba draft, Thunder used Clippers draft to select Jalen Williams
Also traded Sabonis and Oladipo for George
SGA is 2nd on mvp voting
Trade Westbrook for Chris Paul and 4 Firsts
*laughing emoji*
well that adds about 4 years to the wizards rebuild.
I didn’t realize they try to give him credit for that OKC big three.
Pretty sure most of that was Presti.
KD didn’t take much scouting he was a clear #1 or 2 pick.
Russ was the gamble
Harden I think made sense at the spot.
You were in the room at the time? Presti had the final say, but Weaver could’ve still been an influential voice.
Not saying I would’ve hired him personally, though
He didn’t do anything unexpected to qualify him as an expert in OKC – he could’ve read those picks on ESPNs predictions. I’ll credit him with being an expert at hiring wrong coaches and paying out bad contracts.
One man’s trash ……
In this case is still trash at their job. Might be a great person but damn is he bad.
Goes from one horrible team to another just as bad. Makes sense!