I have been a dedicated Washington Wizards fan since 2005. The players on the team back then ensured that every game was exciting. From the high-octane shots made by Gilbert Arenas, to the grit of Caron Butler and the leadership of Antawn Jamison, the 2005-2009 regime of the Washington Wizards brought excitement and national attention to the city, which was surprising seeing as the Redskins are still the big money maker in the DC metropolitan area. Years came and went, and these faces were replaced by a new group including 2010 #1 pick John Wall, and the 2012 #3 pick Bradley Beal. The teams since 2012 have had some success, especially the 2014-15 Wizards lead by Wall, Beal, and NBA Veteran Paul Pierce.

The question always remained, is it possible for the Wizards to assemble a team good enough to win a championship? Or at the very least become a serious contender for one? The answer to this question has been a resounding NO.

At multiple junctures, Ernie Grunfeld, one of the NBA's longest tenured general managers, has botched every oppurtunity to bring consistent talent to the Verizon Center.

In the 2011 draft, he took a relatively unknown player in Jan Vesely with the #6 overall pick, passing on players like Klay Thompson and Kawhi Leonard, both of whom have become perennial all stars. Grunfeld has adopted a pattern of doing very little in the off season, then realizing the team has not performed up to expectations, then making a panic move to keep the team relevant in the playoff battle as the regular season moves toward its end. As a fan, I have seen these panic moves made all the while sacrifing draft picks that could benefit the team for the future.

In the summer of 2016, the Wizards were rumored to be in the sweepstakes for former Thunder SF Kevin Durant, who hails from Maryland. As the team most geographically close to his hometown, the Wizards believed they had a great shot and passed on taking players that could benefit the team for the chance to land the superstar. Not only did they miss, they spent $64 Million on Ian Mahinmi, who has barely played this season due to a surgery he had over the offseason.

Grunfeld's mistakes are most evident with the second unit he has assembled over the offseason. These players, Jason Smith, Andrew Nicholson, Trey Burke, and Marcus Thornton (acquired last season and retained over the summer), have all had a hand in the Wizards having the worst bench in the league by a considerable margin. This makes it hard for First Year Wizards Head Coach Scott Brooks to rest the starting unit.

To Mr. Leonsis:

The fans of this team need you to realize that if the Wizards continue to play like this, when John Wall's contract expires in 2018, he will leave, and most fans would not blame him. You are the owner of this team. The attendance is dwindling at the Verizon Center because many fans feel as if you don't care about the status of the team. Please prove us wrong and let us know that you are committed to the success of the Washington Wizards for the forseeable future. Relieving Grunfeld of his duties, duties that he has held longer than any GM in the league that has NOT won a title, will let us know you understand the situation, and want to see this team progress as badly as we do.

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/the-wizards-have-to-get-it-together-quickly-120816