Washington Wizards Sucked Accidentally

The Washington Wizards, Ernie Grunfeld and Randy Wittman did not expect the team to suck this season. Really, they expected the team to become a contender in the Eastern Conference after narrowly failing to reach the Conference Finals in the season prior. Obviously, they haven’t gotten better – in fact, they’ve sucked.

After signing a bunch of injury prone, unreliable veterans, we all anticipated a successful season for the Washington Wizards. Why? I’m not really sure. But, perhaps it’s because we’ve been blinded by mediocrity and the illusion that the team is actually better than they are.

The Wizards, for whatever reason, have been blinded by their mediocrity too.

Recently, I wrote about why the Washington Wizards should fire Grunfeld, who’s been in charge of the team’s basketball operations for longer than some freshmen in high-school have been alive.

The team has never even come close to winning an NBA championship, yet he’s one of the longest tenured general managers in all of basketball.

Grunfeld should be blamed for the dumpster fire that has become the Wizards’ current season because he put the team together.

He’s the one that gave Drew Gooden a raise, knowing that he’s no longer a reliable player.

He’s the one who signed Alan Anderson with most of the team’s mid-level exception, knowing that he underwent a semi-serious ankle procedure.

He’s the reason the Wizards suck.

Yet, for some reason, the Washington Wizards – including Ted Leonsis – intend to be content with sucking.

This doesn’t mean that changes won’t occur, because they will.

The team only has a couple of players under contract for next season. But, do you seriously trust Grunfeld to sign reliable replacements, even after failing to do so year after year after year?

Any rational person would agree that Grunfeld *should* at least be on the hot seat. Now, I’ve seen some of the comments – the ones that indicate injuries as an excuse and Wittman as the primary reason for the team’s sucky-ness.

While I’d disagree, I would also say that he *should* be on the hot seat, even if he doesn’t end up losing his job.

According to Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post, Grunfeld will probably be returning for another season next year, even after failing to do his job properly. Even after, even after, even after…

President Ernie Grunfeld is under contract for next season, according to a league source with knowledge of the situation, which strongly suggests that he will return for his 14th season as the franchise’s general manger.

Our worst fears were probably confirmed by Castillo, who’s undoubtedly the best person at doing his job as a reporter covering the Wizards, no matter what Wittman might think.

There was always a real possibility that Grunfeld would return. Leonsis has always been too patient and allows his decision makers to make countless mistakes before finally making a necessary change.

Most of us are hoping that the team will come to its senses and make the move that should have been made years ago, but it doesn’t look like that will happen.

Instead, the Washington Wizards are content with being mediocre and will stick by their notoriously bad general manager’s side. Everyone, from the fans to the players (including John Wall, who wasted the best year of his career this season), deserve better than what they’ve been given.

As for why the team won’t make a change, well, we could only speculate. Some have suggested that injuries are a real excuse, which I don’t buy. Others have said – like myself – the Washington Wizards are just afraid of change. At some point, though, that change will come.