After the Washington Wizards announced Wednesday that the team would not bring back coach Scott Brooks, general manager Tommy Shepard said it was his decision not to renew Brooks' deal.
"It's something from a personal standpoint that was very, very difficult," Shepard said of moving on from Brooks. "Scotty is probably one of the best people I've worked with in my life… a dear close friend. But in this business, we have to be about results going forward and the ability to get better. And I Decided to do it.
"I wouldn't say it didn't work," he said. "I think it's time to move on."
Sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that the two sides failed to settle on a new deal.
After the Wizards were eliminated by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round, Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook backed Brooks to bring him back. Westbrook was relegated this season to Brooks, who coached the point guard at Oklahoma City.
When asked about Beale and Westbrook's feelings on Brooks, Shepard said, "I take that into account." "I interacted deeply with everyone in the organization. I know how people feel. I know how I feel.
"It's showbiz, it's not show-friends," Shepard said. "And what we have to do as an organization is to continue to do whatever it takes for lasting victory."
The Wizards will enter their coaching quest while trying to settle the future of Beale, who is entering the final year of his contract next season. Shepard said the search for the franchise will be "very intense, very strong" and emphasized that it will involve "a very diverse, inclusive group of people that we will see."
Brooks' departure came after leading the Wizards (34–38) to the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. In five seasons, Brooks was 183–207 with three playoff appearances, including making the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2016-17.
The season began with much optimism after the Wizards traded John Wall for Westbrook. But the team suffered several injuries, including season-ending losses to Thomas Bryant and rookie Deni Avdija.
Brooks also helped Washington navigate a season that was threatened by the COVID-19 outbreak. The Wizards' season was halted for nine days in January -- 13 days without a game -- when seven players entered the NBA's health and safety protocols.
"We didn't know we were going to enter the third ring of hell," Shepard said.
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.
"He's not taking the coach away and what he was capable of," Shepard said. "We had some success, 17-6 down the stretch, we made the playoffs, 0.6 chance to make the playoffs, we beat Vegas, and those are exciting times, great memories. But the rest of the season is also there, first for him, and four for him." years ago. You have to take all those things into account."
The Wizards allowed the most points in the NBA last season and the second most points in the last two years. Under Brooks, they have never been better than 15th in the league defensively.
Shepard said the Wizards recognizes how successful teams are with a deep coaching staff that in some cases includes an offensive and defensive coordinator.
"I think everything starts with being a great communicator," Shepard said of the traits the team would be looking for in a new coach. "It's definitely an area in which Scotty flourished. But the areas we're going to be looking for are vision checks [and] key performance indicators going forward. I definitely think you should be on the defensive. Will have to take a long, hard look at the ends, for you to see and see, efficiency-wise, can we get better offensively, defensively."
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.
Brooks was the seventh longest-serving coach at his current job. Only San Antonio's Gregg Popovich, Miami's Eric Spoelstra, Dallas' Rick Carlisle, Golden State's Steve Kerr, Utah's Quinn Snyder and Denver's Michael Malone have extended their current jobs.
"Coach Brooks was an incredible integrator," Shepard said of navigating the Wizards through the pandemic break last season and their COVID-19 outbreak this season. "And we all went through these very difficult dark moments in our franchise history because his leadership was exemplary.
"You certainly see everything in the past," Shepard said. "But I can't do much about the past. The focus has to be on the future and where we're headed. And with that in mind, the decision we made was probably a new way for us to be better." "