The Washington Wizards just made a significant move in hopes of turning around their struggling franchise. The team announced on Thursday that head coach Wes Unseld Jr. is stepping down from his position and taking over an advisory role in the front office.
The Wizards intend to hire an interim head coach to end the 2023-24 season before undertaking a “comprehensive search in the offseason” for a permanent head coach.
Unseld was hired as the Wizard’s head coach ahead of the 2021-22 NBA season. During his time in charge, he compiled a 77-130 record. Currently, the Washington team finds itself sitting at a 7-36 record, second-worst in the league.
“I am grateful to have served as head coach of the Washington Wizards,” said Unseld in a statement released by the team. “I look forward to this new opportunity to work toward our organization’s continued progress.”
The 2023-24 was viewed as a rebuilding season for the Washington Wizards, although the franchise probably didn’t expect to play poorly as it did so far in the campaign. The Wizards moved several key players in the offseason, including trading franchise cornerstone Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns and moving All-Star big man Kristaps Porzingis to the Boston Celtics.
The good news for the Wizards is that they have several talented pieces on their roster and draft assets to execute a successful rebuild. However, things will likely become even worse for the team’s fans before they get better.
