For Washington Wizards head coach Scott Brooks, his team isn't playing hard as they should be.
Per Fred Katz of The Athletic, the 53-year-old Brooks shared his thoughts on a seeming leadership issue hounding the Wizards:
Brooks on if there's a leadership issue: "No, there's a play-hard issue."
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) November 19, 2018
His team has a 5-11 record so far and are in a two-game slump. It's not a picture one expects to see from the Wizards, who, on paper, have the right set of tools to post a winning record.
Not only do they have a dynamic-guard duo in John Wall and Bradley Beal, but they also have a reliable veteran in Dwight Howard. They also have young and talented players in Otto Porter and Kelly Oubre Jr. To top it off, they have a sound coach in Brooks who has led the team to two straight playoff appearances since taking over in 2016.
But early in the season, things are looking bleak for the Wizards. Though Brooks pointed out that there's a “play-hard issue” hounding them, for ex-Wizard Jared Dudley, it might be time to break the team up. Per Ben Standig of NBC Sports, the 13-year-veteran, who now plays for the Brooklyn Nets, said:
“I’m seeing a team that has been together too long,” Dudley told NBC Sports Washington following the Wizards’ 115-104 home loss. “They haven’t made progress, so it’s time to change things over there.”
Over the last five years, the Wizards have made the playoffs four times, but have only made it as far as the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Last year, they were eliminated in six games by the Toronto Raptors in the first round.
Given these realities, Dudley added that he expects to see some pieces moving by the All-Star break or in the offseason. It would be exciting to see if Dudley's words prove prophetic. But at present, the Wizards obviously have some issues to resolve.
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