Former Wizards player Paul Pierce criticized Washington's coaching staff for failing to motivate players and questioned the organization's ability to address deeper issues like leadership, roster construction, and establishing a winning culture.
The Washington Wizards currently have a league-worst 3-19 record, and NBA legends believe they have to change something within the franchise.
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NBA champion Paul Pierce, who played for Washington during the 2014-15 season, didn't hold back in his critique. On the latest episode of Ticket & The Truth, Pierce called for a cultural overhaul and suggested that head coach Brian Keefe's job might be on the line. He also described the team's current state as an embarrassment.
"They got to change the culture down here," Pierce stated. "I don't know if that's with the coaches, I don't know if that's with the players, something has to change because now it's back-to-back years where we're seeing this type of product that they're putting on the floor, and it ain't nothing that it's going to sell no tickets or nothing to get excited about. It's almost like an embarrassment."
Last season, the Wizards finished with the league's second-worst record, winning just 15 games out of 82. Despite securing top draft pick Alex Sarr, the team's struggles have persisted.
"A lot of this is on organization, too. Do they do diligence on players? Facilitating trades and who to bring in for culture and veterans and things of that nature. That's really on them to try to figure that out," Pierce went on to say.
"Because right now, whatever they're doing is not working. And I don't know if you put it on the players or the coach. Do they need a new voice in there? Do they need leadership? It's like so many things they have to check off right now."
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The Wizards registered a no-win November and had endured a 16-game losing streak, which they snapped with a win over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. However, they quickly fell back into old habits, suffering a 140-112 blowout loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.
Points this season
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"A lot of this has to do with the coaching. You should be able to get a win in the NBA," Pierce said. "Seriously, you should be able to get a win in the NBA, you shouldn't have to go 0 for 16 in a month in the NBA. You can get a win somehow. A lot of that may be like the coaching philosophy and the coaching. That's a voice. How you ain't motivating your players for the better. You need better motivators here.
"They got players who are capable," he added. "When you got guys like [Kyle] Kuzma, who's talented, and Jordan Pool talented. Them guys alone should be able to get you a game or two in a month. You got the top pick in the draft over there [Alex Sarr]."
Pierce's colleague Kevin Garnett offered a different perspective, though, suggesting the issue is less about coaching and more about talent.
Garnett argued that Washington simply doesn’t have enough talent to compete in the league and mentioned that other teams consist of three or four superstars.
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