Inside The Wizards

Could Wizards' Brian Keefe Be Next Coach to Get Fired?

With one team in the NBA already switching head coaches in the first quarter of the season, the Washington Wizards could do the same with a similar record.
Oct 28, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards head coach Brian Keefe yells from the bench against the Philadelphia 76ers in the fourth quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Oct 28, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards head coach Brian Keefe yells from the bench against the Philadelphia 76ers in the fourth quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

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The Washington Wizards have started the season 1-12. After just one win on the road against another struggling team, the Dallas Mavericks, head coach Brian Keefe potentially finds himself in the hot seat.

Washington has the worst point differential in the league with a 16.7, just over two points more than the next closest team, the Indiana Pacers. That's large in part because of the Wizards' atrocious defense.

The Wizards are the only team that's close to giving up 130 points per game (129.6). Not only are they winless at home, but they have dropped nine straight games against conference opponents.

On an 11-game losing streak, the Wizards have more questions than answers. One of the questions could be 'how much longer will Keefe be the head coach?"

Why the Wizards could part ways with Keefe

The New Orleans Pelicans cut ties with their head coach, Willie Green, after a 0-6 start and a record of 2-10. That record is still slightly better than Washington's.

The Wizards are one of the worst free-throw shooting teams. As a unit, Washington makes just 74.7% of their attempts from the charity line. That's fourth worst in the league.

With one of the youngest rosters in the NBA, the Washington Wizards are in a full rebuild. Will Brian Keefe see it through?
Mar 5, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards head coach Brian Keefe looks on with forward Kyshawn George (18) during the fourth quarter against the Utah Jazz at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images | Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

Furthermore, the Wizards are in the bottom eight of the league when it comes to assists (25.2 per game). Bad teams like the Mavericks, Pelicans, and the Indiana Pacers are right there with them. The only time a player for Washington recorded 10 assists or more in a game was when Bub Carrington (11) did so when the Wizards were blown out by 33 points at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

According to Albert Lee with Yahoo Sports, "There is no indication that Keefe is on thin ice. He was hired to lead a team that is built to lose games in the hopes that a franchise savior is drafted in a year or two or … five."

Following the loss to the Brooklyn Nets, the Wizards held a players-only meeting. Coaches, including Keefe, was not in attendance for this discussion. Such an event could spell tension and potential defection within the locker room in trusting Brian Keefe to be the man going forward.

Young Wizards wing Bilal Coulibaly commented on the players-only meeting.

“We needed that talk, I think,” Coulibaly said. “The guys just stepped up, the vets, the guys that have been used to winning. That’s what we’re trying to do here in the next year. So they had to talk to us, and they did a great job about this, and everybody was listening.”

Washington is on pace to lose more than 70 games. Since taking over as the head coach two years ago, Keefe has won just 27 games and lost well over 100 more. Patience is a virtue, but losing is not a matter of good fortune.

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Scott Conrad
SCOTT CONRAD

My name is Scott Conrad and I am a Contributor for the Chicago Sky with Sports Illustrated.com. I am also a Contributor with FanSided on NinerNoise, as well as Da Windy City. In addition, I am the Site Editor/Expert for The View from Avalon. I spent two seasons (2015 & 2016) with the Tampa Bay Times as a Correspondent covering high school football. I am a two-time published author with more work to come. In my teenage years, I started watching both MLS and WNBA start in 1996 and grow to be the juggernauts they are in their respective sports. Much love to the career on and off the court for fellow-Napervillian and former Sky forward Candace Parker. Outside of the sports journalism world, I am a travel volleyball coach. I accepted the Head Coach position with Greater Cincinnati Volleyball Club for their U13-2 team. In terms of active sports, I play volleyball, soccer, softball, kickball and train in mixed martial arts.