76ers Rival Wizards Make Major Change After Missing NBA Playoffs

Philadelphia 76ers’ Eastern Conference competitors, the Washington Wizards, have made a notable change to their organization. On Wednesday, the Wizards released a statement announcing the firing of the team’s General Manager, Tommy Sheppard.

In 2019, Sheppard was named the interim GM for the Wizards after they fired their General Manager at the time, Ernie Grunfeld. A few months after slipping Sheppard into the interim position, the Wizards removed the interim title and rewarded Sheppard with the full-time position.

Under Sheppard’s management, the Wizards missed the playoffs for the first season after going 25-47. The following year, the Wizards made a key change in the backcourt, swapping John Wall for Russell Westbrook to pair alongside the star guard, Bradley Beal.

The Wizards made it to the playoffs in 2020-2021 after achieving a 34-38 record on the season. They faced the Sixers in the first round. Washington faced a potential sweep during that season, as they fell to 0-3 on the series.

The Wizards stayed alive after picking up a Game 4 victory, but their luck didn’t last much longer. In the following game, which took place in South Philly, the Sixers put the Wizards away with another win. That loss ended up being Washington’s last playoff matchup.

For the next two seasons, the Wizards finished with the same 35-47 record. Neither time was it enough for the Wizards to make the playoffs. In both seasons, the Wizards finished 12th in the East, which doesn’t even include a ticket to the NBA Play-In Tournament.

With several seasons of disappointment under the management of Sheppard, the Wizards made it clear that it was simply time to move on.

"Tommy Sheppard was relieved from his duties as General Manager and President of the Washington Wizards. Failure to make the playoffs the last two seasons was very disappointing to our organization and our fans.

A search for new leadership will begin immediately for an executive from outside the organization.

Currently, it’s unclear who the Wizards are targeting to replace Sheppard, but with changes to the front office could come significant changes to the roster.

Washington has some talented players, but they haven’t been able to build a contender around a guy like Bradley Beal. Then, there are some key names, such as Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma, who could be affected by the big move.

Porzingis has a $36 million player option attached to his contract for next season. In 2024, he’s set to hit the open market.

As for Kuzma, his contract season has expired. It’s clear that Kuzma intends to explore his options in free agency, but the Wizards were expected to remain interested. With Sheppard out of the picture, it’s unclear if that will remain the case or not.

The 2023 offseason should be an interesting one for the Wizards, who are looking to turn the page to begin a new chapter for the franchise.