Will Tommy Sheppard’s firing change the Wizards’ direction?

The news of the Washington Wizards firing General Manager Tommy Sheppard is sinking in. Now, the hard work begins. First, who could the Wizards bring in to replace him? And after that, would that new GM stay the course or begin a rebuild that many fans wanted for some time?

Before this news, all directions were pointing to a summer where Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis would be the Wizards’ top re-signing priorities. If they sign with the Wizards, that would commit the team to them as well as franchise guard Bradley Beal who is entering the second year of his supermax contract. Since the Wizards didn’t make the playoffs two years in a row, keeping Kuzma, Porzingis and Beal would commit them to more of the same.

Again, I’m not happy that the Wizards are likely keeping Wes Unseld, Jr. for another year as head coach. If the “perfect” GM came here and wanted to bring in his or her head coach, then that GM should be allowed to do it. Instead, the GM will have to do a dance with Unseld at best. Or at worst, that GM may not come here in the first place.

Regardless of whom the Wizards bring in to replace Sheppard, it wouldn’t surprise me to see a major overhaul this summer. Either way, Washington needs it.