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Offseason Report Card: Wizards get three As, three Bs, C and D for summer moves

By Josh Cornelissen

Bradley Beal and Kyle Kuzma of the Washington Wizards high five (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Bradley Beal and Kyle Kuzma of the Washington Wizards high five (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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Washington Wizards
Ted Leonsis, owner of the Washington Wizards. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images /

1. Hired Michael Winger

Hired Michael Winger as President of Monumental Basketball

The first move of the offseason may be the most momentous for the Wizards, as they fired longtime General Manager and Team President Tommy Sheppard after a second-consecutive 35-win season. After a long and careful search, the Wizards hired Michael Winger to replace him.

Winger comes to Washington by way of the LA Clippers, where he served under Lawrence Frank as the team’s general manager. He is not only well-respected around the league but is known as a master of the CBA and salary cap. When you factor in his experience with star players in Los Angeles he has the type of wide-ranging skillset that should help him excel in the role.

The front office isn’t a one-man show, either. Winger brought over former scout and front office executive Will Dawkins from the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he and Winger used to work under Sam Presti. Travis Schlenk also comes aboard, with experience as a general manager himself in Atlanta and before that with Bob Myers in Golden State.

Winger came in and convinced owner Ted Leonsis to start a rebuild, something no other member of the Wizards’ organization was able to do before. He’ll demonstrate his ability to execute the full rebuild in the coming years, but so far he looks like a rising star in the front office ranks and an excellent hire for the Wizards.

Grade: A

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