Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. transitions to front office
The Washington Wizards announced Thursday morning that Wes Unseld Jr. would be leaving his job as the team's head coach and transitioning to a front office role.
After losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves at home Wednesday night, the Wizards are 7-36 this season, the league's second-worst record -- ahead of only the Detroit Pistons (5-39).
The Wizards, who host the Utah Jazz Thursday night, said in a statement they'll be naming an interim coach later Thursday.
"After several thoughtful conversations with Wes, we determined together that a change was needed for the benefit of the team," Michael Winger, the president of Monumental Basketball -- which includes the Wizards and the WNBA's Washington Mystics -- said in a statement announcing the decision.
"Wes embodies the characteristics we value in our organization, and his vast basketball experience will be an asset to the front office as we progress toward our long-term goals. We are thankful that he will continue his contributions to our organization and community."
Unseld was in the middle of his third season as head coach of the Wizards, going 77-130 before Thursday's announcement. The Wizards have particularly struggled defensively this season, ranking 29th.
Washington hired Unseld prior to the start of the 2021-22 season after close to two decades as an NBA assistant with the Wizards, Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic and Denver Nuggets, where he was Michael Malone's top assistant before returning to the franchise where his father, Wes, was a Hall of Fame player who led the franchise to its only NBA title in 1979 before later serving stints as the team's head coach and general manager.
Back in October, Washington picked up Unseld's option for next season.
Last summer, Winger replaced longtime executive Tommy Sheppard as the head of the Wizards' basketball operations, and quickly moved to reshape the franchise. He traded longtime face of the franchise, Bradley Beal, to the Phoenix Suns for a package of draft picks and Chris Paul, before re-routing him to the Golden State Warriors a few days later in exchange for Jordan Poole, signaling the start of a long rebuild in Washington.
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