Wizards owner Ted Leonsis believes the franchise can make a quick turnaround, as he told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. He believes that with backcourt stars John Wall and Bradley Beal leading the way, Washington can become a contender. However, Wall is expected to miss all of next season as he recovers from an Achilles tear.
“My belief is that you can you do things fast. We have the wherewithal and resources and facilities and technology,” Leonsis said. “If we can bring John back and, with Brad, develop our draft picks and assets, start to manage the [salary] cap, why can’t this be quick? It doesn’t need to be a five years it took when we drafted John and Brad. We can turn this one faster.”
We have more on the Wizards:
- Leonsis indicated that new GM Tommy Sheppard and chief planning and operations officer Sashi Brown will have equal say on decisions where their duties overlap, according to NBC Sports Washington’s Chase Hughes. There is going to be much more shared decision-making in the new front office setup. However, Brown said that basketball personnel decisions will ultimately be made by Sheppard (Twitter links).
- Daniel Medina will also play a major front office role, according to USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt. Medina has been hired as the chief of athlete care and performance for Monumental Basketball. He will focus on medical, training, mental health, strength and conditioning, nutrition, and physical therapy and recovery. “The goal is to create a very collaborative, many-hands-make-light-work level and be prepared for the new NBA where data technology and health and wellness and all of these services merge with what is happening on the court,” Leonsis said.
- Leonsis now believes having three max players on the roster isn’t conducive to building a successful team, David Aldridge of The Athletic tweets. Leonsis previously felt that having three max stars was the way to go but he now subscribes to the theory that spreading the wealth is a better approach. “Depth is becoming so much more important in this league, just because of the injuries,” he said.
Ted can’t stay out of the kitchen. His meddling is destructive. He is not a hoops guy…but he thinks he is…..
So sadhi brown has now worked in the front office for all three major sports brands and he was been terrible in all of them
Yes, “start” to manage the cap.
Leonsis dreams of jamming Wall and Beal together again. Yesterday Sheppard sounded more aware about that, saying they will surround Beal with players he wants to play with.
I think Beal will have to force his way out. Does he have the guts Butler did?
3 max contracts can result in a championship team. But when your 3 max contracts are John Wall, yet-to-reach-his-prime Bradley Beal and Otto Porter Jr then thats not 3 max contracts which will result in a championship
Otto Porter was already dealt to the bulls. So yeah, they’ve already began.
Wall, beal, FA, hachimura, Bryant could be formidable starting 5 in 3 years
You can win with three max players, it’s just better when the third max guy is someone other than otto porter