The Washington Wizards have decided to part ways with Scott Brooks.
Wizards and Scott Brooks have agreed to part ways, per @wojespn
Both sides couldn’t agree on a new deal pic.twitter.com/iWiefIPIR0
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 16, 2021
Brooks was the head coach for five seasons in the nation’s capital.
In those five seasons, he made the playoffs three times, only advancing past the first round once.
A change might have been needed with this new iteration of the Wizards.
Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook are a dynamic duo, but barely cracked the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.
An eighth seed for those two individuals in a lesser conference has to be a failure to some degree.
That falls on the head coach.
Brooks was not the man for the job.
Now the search begins for a new voice.
Who are the best candidates for the job?
Here are the three best choices.
3. Mike D’Antoni
Mike D’Antoni is back on the head coaching prowl after one season as an assistant coach for the Brooklyn Nets.
D’Antoni is a really good coach with a good track record.
He has never made the NBA Finals, but has made the Conference Finals three times.
James Harden was turned into his best version under D’Antoni.
Maybe he can do the same for Beal and maximize his full potential.
He did coach Westbrook before too.
When he was healthy under him, he was able to play great basketball.
D’Antoni is a veteran coach that can bring the best version of an offense for a team.
2. Sam Cassell
Sam Cassell has a relationship with the Wizards already.
He spent five seasons with the organization.
Beal has a relationship with Cassell as he played his first couple of seasons with him on the staff.
Cassell has been rumored for several other jobs.
He has been a hot commodity for the last couple of seasons as well.
Cassell is a former player that was always respected by players around the league.
Now as a coach, he has received the same respect.
Watch for Cassell to make his return to the Wizards.
He should be a serious candidate for this coaching vacancy.
1. Wes Unseld Jr.
Wes Unseld Jr. has been an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets for six years.
He has been a key piece to this young team.
However, he might be the perfect candidate for the Wizards.
Unseld Jr. was an assistant coach from 2005-2011 with this Wizards franchise.
Furthermore, his father is a former legend of the Wizards.
Wes Unseld is a Hall of Famer that spent his whole career with the Wizards and won a title in 1978.
He became a lifer with this organization.
After retiring in 1981, he stayed with the franchise in multiple roles until 2003.
This would be a perfect situation for Unseld Jr.
Nuggets associate head coach Wes Unseld Jr. is expected to be in the mix for the Washington job, a league source tells @denverpost.
— Mike Singer (@msinger) June 16, 2021
He can come in a year after his father sadly passed away and bring his father’s team back to prominence.
The Wizards should have a good feel to the team.
For years, this franchise has been either good but not good enough, or a laughingstock.
They need to find a new coach that helps bring a new energy to the franchise and city.
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