With the Wizards firing general manager Tommy Sheppard on Wednesday night, the franchise is entering yet another period of transition.
For JP Finlay, it’s all too familiar.
“For 41 years, my basketball team of choice…I grew up loving the Bullets, grew up with that team, and they’ve been bad,” Finlay said, recalling a high point of nearly a quarter century ago when the GOAT declared the then-Bullets as a team on the rise after sweeping them in 1997.
“I remember Michael Jordan saying, ‘That Bullets team is the team of the future.’ That was 25-30 years ago. Sure enough, they were not the team of the future.”
That year was Washington’s first trip to the playoffs in eight years, and it would be their last until 2005. The team hasn’t reached a conference final since 1979, and has been through countless false saviors, losing seasons, and loads of disappointment ever since.
“At various times, there had been Bullets teams I loved,” Finlay said. “Then you had the latest iteration of [John] Wall and [Bradley] Beal…and things went sideways with John. I don’t really understand what happened there. I met John a few times, he’s a really easygoing dude, but whatever happened there, it was just sad.”
But now, Finlay is trying to turn the page and hope that a new GM will bring a brighter future. But if history is any indication, it won’t happen.
“I am not expecting a tremendous transition after firing Tommy Sheppard,” Finlay said. “We’ll see. Maybe they’ll find the next Jerry West and they’ll turn things around.
“At least they saw they had to make a move, and they’re making a move.”
Finlay also added that if they’re looking to add from outside the organization, he knows a guy.
“I’m available to be general manager,” Finlay said. “It is the era of nonsense offers, and I’m making one. I’m available.”
Keep up with 106.7 The Fan via:
Audacy App | Online Stream | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram