After a 2-15 start, the Washington Wizards fired coach Flip Saunders on Tuesday, replacing him with assistant coach Randy Wittman through the end of the season.

Saunders was in the third year of a four-year, $18 million contract.

"I felt like at this time, our players were not responding, and I think we needed a different voice. This doesn't change our overall plan, which always has been very transparent for us, which is to build through the draft, get salary-cap space going forward and develop our young players," Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said. "They probably haven't developed as quickly as we'd like for them to develop. That's something we need to continue to work on."

Grunfeld and Wittman spoke about playing a faster-paced, running game on offense and perhaps using more press tactics on defense. They also emphasized that younger players, whom they did not mention by name, need to understand that floor minutes are not guaranteed.

"We have to develop these kids, there's no question about it," Wittman said. "There comes a point, if you know you're going to be out there, you'll play whatever way you want to play. And I think that has to change a little bit."

The Wizards' management had hoped to avoid firing Saunders, even as the club lost its first eight games. But the team's continued poor play, combined with the regression of 2010's No. 1 draft pick John Wall, left the team with no choice.

Wall is averaging 7.2 assists per game this season, nearly a full assist less than the 8.3 per game he averaged in his rookie season. His shooting percentage has declined to .379 from the field this season from .409 in 2010-11.

"He is a talented player that I think I need to coach -- and he has to be willing to be coached," Wittman said of Wall. "And if he does that, that's where good players become great players."

Wall hasn't gotten much help from his Wizards teammates, who have been prone to inconsistent play. On Monday in a 20-point loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, they walked down the court for offensive possessions, failed to hustle after loose balls and missed eight of nine shots in the paint in the first quarter.

After one string of sloppy plays, Saunders took a knee in front of the scorer's table, bowed his head and rubbed his temples.