Washington Wizards: 3 Things to Know About GM Candidate Troy Weaver
By Ethan Smith
Troy Weaver is the third reported external candidate to have interviewed with the Washington Wizards for their open front office position. Could the longtime Thunder VP finally be moving on?
The Washington Wizards shortlist of possible Ernie Grunfeld replacements got a little bit longer this week with news that the team had interviewed Troy Weaver, Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Besides Danny Ferry and Houston’s Gersson Rosas, OKC Thunder VP of Basketball Operations Troy Weaver interviewed for the Washington Wizards GM job today, league sources tell ESPN. Weaver is a DC native. Interim GM Tommy Sheppard is also under consideration for permanent role.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 1, 2019
Weaver joins Gersson Rosas of the Houston Rockets and Danny Ferry as the third external candidate that the Wizards have interviewed since firing Ernie Grunfeld after 16 seasons. Rosas has since agreed to become President of Basketball Operations for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Unlike Rosas and Ferry, Weaver has never served as an NBA GM in any capacity. Rosas’ three months of offseason GM’ing with the Dallas Mavericks is three months more than Weaver has. However, in Oklahoma City he’s helped build a perennial powerhouse. And he’s helped keep them competitive despite losing one of the planet’s greatest basketball players in Kevin Durant. Having that blueprint and bringing it to Washington could be just as valuable as a few months with the formal GM title. Maybe even more.
Weaver’s lack of GM experience isn’t because he’s incapable. In fact, Weaver has long been considered a strong candidate for GM positions across the league, interviewing with teams such as the Portland Trailblazers, Atlanta Hawks, and others. But he hasn’t left Oklahoma City since he arrived there in 2008. In 2017, Weaver had this to say about leaving the Thunder, according to Brett Dawson of the Oklahoman.
"“More often than not, you’re going (to a new job) because they haven’t had success,” Weaver said. “You want to feel good that you’re going into a situation where your vision matches up with the ownership and the city’s vision for success,” he said."
Maybe Washington will be the situation that Weaver’s been longing for. After all, where else are you going to find a 25-year-old, All-NBA caliber shooting guard like Bradley Beal under contract for two seasons?
As the Wizards deliberate after hearing from their top candidates, let’s get to know the man who could be the team’s next GM, Troy Weaver.