Wiz of Awes
Fansided

Washington Wizards 2016-2017 NBA Season Preview: 5 Reasons to Be Optimistic

By Ben Mehic

Mar 17, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) yells from the players bench against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. The Washington Wizards won 99-94. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 17, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) yells from the players bench against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. The Washington Wizards won 99-94. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 6
Next
Mar 30, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Washington Wizards head coach Randy Wittman on the sideline against the Sacramento Kings during the first quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

5) Randy Wittman is gone

Randy Wittman deserves a lot more credit than he’s gotten in Washington.

Without his presence and no-nonsense attitude, the Washington Wizards never would have experienced any tangible success in the playoffs.

Wittman and his coaching staff did a fantastic job of getting the players to buy into what they were preaching.

When he took over for the late, great Flip Saunders in 2012, Wittman immediately held the team accountable. It was simple, really. If players weren’t going to defend, they weren’t going to play.

The Wizards began to surround Wall with proven veterans around the same time Wittman became the team’s head coach, and the entire culture shifted.

More from Wizards News

The players vouched for Wittman, and after a few playoff wins, his interim label turned into a four-year career.

Playoff Wittman is something I’ll never forget.

Somehow, Wittman outcoached Tom Thibodeau and Dwane Casey en route to two playoff series wins.

Wittman amounted a 57.3 percent winning percentage in the postseason.

His flaws, though, were unforgivable.

Wittman was one of the worst coaches in the league at developing players.

Many will likely point to the lack of playing time both Otto Porter and Kelly Oubre got under Wittman, but it goes beyond that.

Wittman wanted to see instant results.

Kevin Seraphin, for instance, was repeatedly yanked out of games for not scoring or securing a rebound. That sort of “show me something or you’re out” development never works. And it certainly didn’t work in D.C.

With the exception of a few, NBA coaches have expiration dates. It was time for Wittman to go, and now he’s out.

Scott Brooks, like all new coaches, has brought a new feel to the team. The players are ready to prove themselves to Brooks, who’s coached in the playoffs and NBA Finals. He’s earned the “player’s coach” label and will relate to the talent a lot more than Wittman did during his tenure.

There are going to be some bumps and bruises along the way, but Brooks is undoubtedly an upgrade on the sidelines over Wittman. That’s a reason to be optimistic for this upcoming season.

Next: 4) The Old Bench Is Gone Too

Home/Wizards News