After back-to-back 35-47 seasons, Washington Wizards owner Ted Leonsis announced the firing of general manager Tommy Sheppard on Wednesday evening. The move was surprising for Thom Loverro, not because the team's disappointing results did not merit it, but the timing.
"I was very surprised by [the move] because if it's a decision based on their results for the last two years what changed between now and the end of the season? Why trot Tommy Sheppard out there for the exit press conference like they did? Why not at the end of the season do this?" Loverro told Team 980. "I mean, nothing's different. The only thing that's different is the press conference. Did Tommy say something in that press conference to trigger transparent Ted?
"I mean Tommy was pretty blunt," Loverro continued. "He said he was 'disgusted' by the season... And may be Ted didn't like what he heard. Maybe Ted said that was disgusting."
So where does Washington go from here, looking for a GM from outside the organization for the first time in two decades since Ernie Grunfeld was hired in June 2003.
"It's not an attractive job for whoever would come into it," Loverro said. "I gotta think one of the first thing that they're gonna do is get rid of Bradley Beal. I think that's No. 1 on the agenda of the new general manager because this isn't working. It's not gonna work. He hasn't been able to stay on the court these last two seasons. He's the highest paid player in the history of Washington D.C. And he's not your foundation. He's a piece. You can't spend that much money on a piece."
The problem, which Loverro pointed out, is that Beal's contract contains one of the strictest no-trade clauses in all of basketball. But that can't change the next GM's plan: "Figure out how to get rid of Bradley Beal and get him out of there and make the best deal he can for the Wizards."
Another aspect that makes things difficult for the next hire, the team seems committeed to keeping Wes Unseld Jr. for a third season.
"But who are they gonna attract to a job, where, as it stands now, the GM is not going to be able to hire the coach from the start," Loverro said. "Well, that's a terrible way to attract a general manager, 'Yeah, you can come in here but the most important hire you have to make, you can't make it yet.'"
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