Under longtime general manager Ernie Grunfeld, the Washington Wizards always preferred sustained mediocrity over full-blown rebuilding. Less than a week after officially being named Grunfeld's replacement, Tommy Sheppard is already signaling he will take a much different approach to the Wizards' future.
In the three and-a-half months since Sheppard assumed Grunfeld's responsibilities on an interim basis, he's prioritized Washington's “big picture” outlook ahead of building a team that could fight for the playoffs.
“That was more appealing for the future than just trying to get the eighth (seed),” he said, per Fred Katz of The Athletic. “I don’t ever wanna say, ‘Let’s go get the eighth spot.’ That’s not the big picture at all.”
The Wizards lifted the interim portion from Sheppard's title last week, making him full-time general manager. They interviewed multiple candidates for the position since dismissing Grunfeld in April, and were publicly rumored to covet the Toronto Raptors' Masai Ujiri, but ultimately conducted the draft and free agency with Sheppard pulling the strings.
Sheppard said on Monday that Washington will offer All-Star guard Bradley Beal a three-year, $111 million extension on Friday, when the team is first permitted to do so. Whether or not he signs the extension, Sheppard was adamant the Wizards have no plans to trade the 26-year-old this season. Beal, coming off the best season of his career, is a free agent in the summer of 2021, leading many to believe Washington would rather trade him than risk losing him for nothing.
This stated change in philosophy, of course, suggests as much, too. We'll find out this season if it prompts Beal's long-anticipated departure from the Wizards.
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