With Wizards Going Nowhere, Time For Coach To Go
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By DERON SNYDER
The Washington Wizards put Flip Saunders out his misery Tuesday. Too bad the fans left behind aren’t that lucky.
Being fired by Washington probably is the best thing that has happened to Saunders in his 15, mostly-distinguished seasons as an NBA head coach. No more nights of watching their ugly, uninspired basketball. No more weeks of trying to get a group of hardheaded players to work together. No more months of lopsided losses followed by blowout losses, with a few close losses and narrow wins sprinkled in as teases.
Saunders gets relief from all of that anguish but still collects next season’s salary from his four-year, $18 million contract.
He said had been staying up late and eating nothing but Subway; on Tuesday night he should’ve slept like a baby after dinner at the Hay Adams.
John Wall’s demeanor and body language came under fire during his rookie season, with Saunders stressing that improvement was necessary entering this campaign. But Saunders couldn’t hide his own distress through a 2-15 start. His expressions on the sideline varied only slightly, from helpless to hapless to hopeless, and it was easy to see why.
He was coaching the worst team in the league and it wasn’t getting any better.
