Sources have told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that Scott Brooks is out as coach of the Washington Wizards after the two sides failed to come to an agreement on a new deal.
Brooks led the Wizards to the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. His contract expired after Washington's first-round loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, and Wizards general manager Tommy Shepard said earlier this month that the team needed to evaluate Brooks.
In five seasons, Brooks was 183–207 with three playoff appearances, including making the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2016-17. The Wizards went 34-38 this season.
The Wizards will enter a coaching quest while trying to organize the future of Bradley Beal, who is entering the final year of his contract next season.
Brooks helped Washington navigate a season that was threatened by multiple injuries and a COVID-19 outbreak. The Wizards' season was halted for nine days in January -- including 13 days without playing a game -- after seven players entered the NBA's health and safety protocols.
As of April 5, Washington was 17-32. But the Wizards rallied, winning 17 of their final 23 regular-season games before eventually finishing eighth in the play-in tournament.
After the season, Shepard credited Brooks with helping him navigate Washington through "perhaps some of the most difficult dark moments in franchise history."
With Stan Van Gundy taking on the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, the NBA now has six head-coaching openings: Boston, Indiana, New Orleans, Orlando, Portland and Washington. Nate McMillan is currently interim coach at Atlanta, but is expected to be rewarded with a new contract after the playoffs.