The Washington Wizards Don't Get It

Flip Saunders has been fired as head coach of the Washington Wizards after beginning the season 2-15, despite a marquee win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Saunders began his coaching career with the Minnesota Timberwolves, leading them to their first playoff berth in his first year as coach. Later, Saunders led the team to the Western Conference Finals in 2004, before being fired the next year as a scapegoat for the team's troubles that were player-caused.


Saunders was then hired as the next coach of the Detroit Pistons to replace Larry Brown, now coach of the Charlotte Bobcats. Under Saunders, the Pistons set a new franchise record for wins in a single season in the 2005-06 season at 64, then led the team to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2008, but was fired after the Pistons lost to the eventual champion Boston Celtics.


Saunders joined the Wizards after a one year hiatus from coaching, but has not produced similar results in Washington. Once again, Saunders is being made into a scapegoat for the Wizards' problems which are mostly player-caused. Until the Wizards can completely overhaul their roster to one built around John Wall, as planned by new owner Ted Leonsis, the Wizards will be at the bottom tier of the NBA for years to come.


Speaking as a fan who has no opinion positive or negative of the Wizards, this is one of the most bullshit firings I have ever seen in my lifetime. I'm actually shocked that a successful coach like Saunders has been fired for problems beyond his control and terrible coaches like Mike D'Antoni and Lawrence Frank are allowed to continue working, despite their total inability to prove they can coach at all.