If The Wizards Were to Fire Eddie Jordan…
The beginning of the Washington Wizards 2008-09 campaign kind of has this O.J. Simpson feel to it. Not the last trial, THE trial.
This team has severe problems, but despite all of the intuition and motive in the world, you can’t put the blade to Eddie Jordan’s coaching career just yet. Too few games, a missing superstar, and too much inconsistency from the best players won’t let it happen.
But just for speculation, let’s imagine the unthinkable for the NBA’s current third-longest tenured active coach. What if the Wizards fired Eddie Jordan?
If they were to do it, here’s how it would likely go down.
The Wizards, mired in an eight-game losing streak, have recently given up their second-straight fourth quarter lead against the Miami Heat. Michael Beasley, the can’t-miss rookie and D.C. area native, has gone for double-doubles in each of the last two games. The zone defense that the Wizards have employed in the last five games still has trouble closing out on shooters, and the threes have been raining down since the New York game.
Gilbert Arenas, who has been relatively silent on the team’s output thus far, comments on his blog that the team has been listening to the coach, but is not putting it together like they should. He attributes their own lack of three-point accuracy to the limited minutes of Nick Young, and remarks that the team seems a lot more defensively active with JaVale McGee in the post and Juan Dixon at point.
Wizards’ GM Ernie Grunfeld, who has had enough of Jordan’s quips about “not playing NBA basketball,” and is frustrated with the arrested development of Andray Blatche, leaks in an interview with Ivan Carter of the Washington Post that the team can and will do better, and that everyone is accountable. Jordan, still with no definitive rotation set, seethes behind the scenes.
In the meantime, talks between the Wizards and Avery Johnson heat up. Local media gets word about it, but hold back on the story out of respect for Jordan.
November 19 – The Wizards are run out of the gym by the Atlanta Hawks on the road. The following morning, Ivan Carter breaks the news that Eddie Jordan will be fired, and that sources claim Avery Johnson is a leading candidate for the job. ESPN is all over it, detailing Johnson’s defensive turnaround in Dallas, his knack for the offensive tempo that the Wizards are built for, and his ability to reach younger players.
Johnson coaches his first game on the road against the Houston Rockets. Using a three-guard rotation of Dixon, DeShawn Stevenson and Nick Young, and a heavy employ of the 2-3 zone, the Wizards limit the Rockets to poor perimeter shooting on the night, and get their first win of the season, 86-74.
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God….did you have to have such a realistic look into the future?
I hope it doesn’t go down like that, but if it does, I’m pegging our friend Gil to get a bit more outrageous on the blog. Perhaps a Chappelle-like, “I’m giving up all my money and going to live in the Philippines where they got love for me.”
Sounds about right.
Let us all watch “Black Magic” on DVD, and prepare for the drama.
I’ve been calling for EJ’s head for years. He’s ridden the talents to 3 scorers to mediocrity while simultaneously holding the team back with his idiotic defensive schemes, non-sensical rotations, and love of “small ball”.
That being said, I don’t think he’ll be fired in-season. For two reasons: First, he’ll be able to hang on due to the injury excuse. Second, conservative owner Abe Polin recently forced GM Ernie Grunfeld to pickup next year’s option on Jordan’s contract. I doubt Abe wants to pay two coaches.
I also disagree with the hire of Avery Johnson. He’s a “my way or the highway” kind of coach and although this is very much a halfcourt team, the Wizards best players flourish when allowed to use their creativity. Somebody like Rick Adelman would be perfect for this team. I’d even be willing to give somebody like Bill Laimbeer a shot. But I don’t like Avery at all.
Avery Johnson seems like a logical coach because he fully understands the nuances of being an NBA player, is a good motivator, and like he did with Dallas, can get a team that is allergic to defense to play a little bit of it.