Ernie Grunfeld’s time is up with the Washington Wizards after 16 seasons. The team announced Tuesday the team president has been relieved of his duties, effective immediately.
“We did not meet our stated goals of qualifying for the playoffs this season and, despite playing with injuries to several key players, we have a culture of accountability and a responsibility of managing to positive outcomes,” Wizards owner Ted Leonsis said in a statement. “I wish to thank Ernie for his service to the Washington Wizards. He and his family have been great leaders in our community and have worked tirelessly to make us a top NBA franchise.”
Senior vice president of basketball operations Tommy Sheppard will assume Grunfeld’s duties as the team searches for a permanent replacement.
Grunfeld joined the Wizards in June 2003, hiring Eddie Jordan as his first head coach with the team. Washington made the postseason four consecutive seasons from 2004-2008, highlighted by the Gilbert Arenas era.
However, the team only made the second round of the playoffs once during that time. Arenas struggled with various injuries, and the Wizards faltered into a lottery team. Grunfeld remained in his role as president after Leonsis became the majority owner of the team following the passing of Abe Pollin.
Grunfeld would go on to select John Wall first overall in the 2010 NBA Draft. The Wizards then added Bradley Beal in 2012 and Otto Porter in 2013 with top-3 picks. The team would go on to make the postseason four of five seasons between 2013-2018. They peaked in 2016-17 winning 49 games and reaching.
The core went on to advance to the second round three consecutive seasons. They peaked in 2016-17, going to a decisive Game 7 against the Boston Celtics before falling short of the Eastern Conference Finals by one game.
The Wizards failed to advance past the first round in 2017-18 as an eight seed after Wall missed 41 games largely due to a knee injury. Despite high expectations to return to their steady winning ways, the Wizards faltered again this season, failing to win 41 or more games for the first since 2012-13.
Wall’s season was cut short in December as he required surgery to remove bone spurs from his heel. Free agent pickup Dwight Howard has played in just nine games this season after required back surgery. Wall then ruptured his injured Achilles heel after slipping in the shower following surgery. He is expected to miss the 2019-20 season as well.
The team changed plans, trading off Porter to the Chicago Bulls, and apparently starting a retool of the roster. That task will be difficult as Wall’s super max extension worth $170 million starts next season, paying him $37.8 million in the first of four years.
Grunfeld won’t be the architect of the expected Wizards’ rebuild. For the success he had, there were plenty of failures. Signing Arenas to second contract worth $111 million despite his injury history. There were draft and trade failures, such as Jan Vesely in 2011 or trading the No. 5 pick in 2009 for Mike Miller and Randy Foye.
Washington’s inability to reach the Eastern Conference Finals haunted Grunfeld’s tenure. The Wizards complied a record of 568-724 under Grunfeld, making the postseason eight times and going .500 or better nine seasons.
