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Wizardshave fired Coach Flip Saunders after a 2-15 start. A league source confirms that he has been replaced by lead assistant Randy Wittman.
Saunders was said to be safe when the Wizards started the season 0-8, but they have failed to make much improvement since then. John Wall has had a disappointing second season, other players have failed to develop chemistry and the offense has sputtered.
In more than three seasons with the Wizards, Saunders compiled a 51-130 record. Saunders was in the third year of a four-year, $18 million contract.
In an exclusive interview,Saunders said he was disappointed about not being able to finish the job.
“When I took this job, there were very much unique challenges,” he said. “Usually the focus was, I believe we had the opportunity to coach a veteran team that had a chance to make a run into the playoffs. That job description changed drastically, when we experienced the gun in the locker room situation.
“We went from a job with a totally different challenge, to all of a sudden survival mode, then immediately after that, into a developmental situation. I felt comfortable because I’ve developed a lot of young players over my career and it’s extremely challenging to develop so many players at the same time.”
How much longer would Flip have hung on to that job if not for Gungate?
And how soon 'til Ernie Grunfeld follows him out the door?
~lw3
