Courtesy: Bleacher Report
According to NBA.com, the Washington Wizards have resigned head coach Randy Wittman to a three-year contract extension worth $3-3.5 million per year. With possible coaches George Karl, Lionel Hollins and Mark Jackson available, Washington made the bold move bringing back their head coach. The big question now is, was this contract extension a mistake? That answer is simply no; he certainly deserved and earned his extension.
Wittman has coached the Wizards for a total of 213 regular season games and has a record of 71-122; with this record you might wonder why he would be worthy to return. Washington needs him, as he helped build chemistry among this young team and made a way for veterans to vocalize themselves in the locker room. Wittman also validated his head-coaching job during this year’s postseason, taking the team to the Eastern Conference semi-finals by defeating the Chicago Bulls.
During the 2011-12 season, Randy Wittman took over for Flip Saunders as of head coach during the season on an interim basis. Since joining Washington, he personally has improved as a head coach each season. What makes him so important to the organization is his team first attitude among the players.
I believe that Wittman is just as important to the Washington’s franchise as John Wall and Bradley Beal. The Wizards next off season move must be to resign Marcin Gortat and a make a pull for a strong small forward in free agency.
Ernie Grunfeld, President of basketball operations for the Wizards, and Randy Wittman have a bright road ahead of them. This was a smart signing and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Washington make another postseason run during the 2014-15 NBA season with a strong core still in tact.
