The Washington Wizards and head coach Scott Brooks have agreed to part ways after both sides could not agree on a new deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Brooks’ contract expired following the Wizards’ first-round loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. He had coached the Wizards for five seasons, leading the team to the postseason three times. This season, however, was their first trip since 2018.
Last week, a report suggested Brooks was expected to return as the Wizards head coach. But it was contingent on Brooks agreeing to a completely new coaching staff. Wojnarowski added on ESPN that Brooks wanted to go forward with the staff already in place. But it appears the two sides hit a snag with contract talks that ultimately led to both agreeing to part ways.
Surely, this is great news for most Wizards fans. Brooks had come under fire for his struggles during his five seasons in Washington. After guiding the team to 49 wins and a second-round trip to the playoffs in his first year in 2016-17, Brooks was unable to duplicate that success the following four.
Washington was bounced from the first round of the playoffs in 2018. They missed the postseason the next two seasons while cornerstone player John Wall was out due to a ruptured Achilles. However, the team pulled off a blockbuster trade in December, sending Wall and a protected first-round pick to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Russell Westbrook.
Westbrook’s addition initially seemed to not help the Wizards’ fortune. They started off with a 17-32 record. However, they bounced back winning 18 of their final 25 games, including a win over the Indiana Pacers in the play-in tournament to make the playoffs as an eight-seed in the Eastern Conference.
But, the Wizards appeared overmatched against the 76ers despite having Westbrook and third-team All-NBA player Bradley Beal. After stealing a Game 4 win to avoid a sweep, the Wizards were blown out in Game 5 to end their season.
Westbrook endorsed Brooks’ return. All signs pointed to him returning. Yet, the latest development leads to Brooks being out and the Wizards searching for a new head coach.
