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A thorough examination of Tommy Sheppard’s dismissal

We covered all aspects of his firing on a special episode of the Bleav in Wizards podcast and what ramifications it could have moving forward.

Monumental Basketball Portraits
Tommy Sheppard posing for a portrait as GM
Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images

I was joined by Osman Baig for a special edition of the Bleav in Wizards podcast to break down Tommy Sheppard’s firing as Wizards General Manager and Team President. The Wizards went 129-179 under Sheppard and only made the playoffs once. The lack of playoff success was a major reason behind the move according to the team’s official press release.

In this episode we covered:

  • Why now? The timing seems somewhat questionable
  • Whether him throwing Wes Unseld Jr. under the bus after the season had anything to do with his firing and if Bradley Beal had an input on the decision
  • Was Sheppard really set up for success? Or did the direction handed down from Ted Leonsis make his job impossible?
  • Whether Leonsis will actually empower his replacement or handcuff him to this “middle build” approach
  • Whether this spells the end for Bradley Beal
  • What this means for Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma this offseason
  • Which players are most likely to be moved by a new GM
  • The likely candidates to replace Sheppard
  • The case for why Bob Myers might actually want this particular job
  • My personal ideal choice for the job, Tayshaun Prince, and why I’d like to see him get it
  • Revisiting Sheppard’s trades
  • Sheppard’s spotty draft record
  • Some behind the scenes info on what influenced his draft decisions
  • What he’ll be most remembered for
  • His best move (yes, there were some good ones)
  • His worst move (I think my choice might surprise some folks)
  • Why this offseason could basically decide the Wizards’ fate for the next decade