The Washington Wizards are the latest team to find itself in need of a new head coach. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Wizards and Scott Brooks could not come to terms on a new deal, and as a result, the two sides decided to part ways after five years.
Washington and coach Scott Brooks couldn't come to an agreement on a new deal and are agreeing to part ways, sources tell ESPN. Brooks' deal expired after the playoffs.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 16, 2021
Brooks took over in Washington in 2016 following a stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder. While his tenure in the nation’s capital started off with back-to-back playoff berths, the Wizards missed the postseason in each of the last two seasons and needed the play-in tournament to get in this year, where they promptly lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in five games.
Over the course of his tenure with the franchise, Brooks went 183-207. As for the next coach, Washington is in a bit of a tricky spot — Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook could, if he they choose, become unrestricted free agents at the conclusion of the 2021-22 campaign, should they decide to turn down their player options. The Wizards’ front office has been steadfast in saying that Beal will not be traded, and if this is the case, it stands to reason that the organization will want to hire someone with an eye on making the playoffs next year.
