The Los Angeles Clippers have lost a key member of their front office as Michael Winger will be ending his six-year GM stint with the franchise, becoming the President of Monumental Sports, the parent organization of the Washington Wizards.
Winger will not only run the Wizards but also its WNBA team and its G League affiliate. This will be a big step up for Winger, who will now be tasked with saving the sinking ship that the Wizards have been for the last few seasons.
ESPN Sources: Los Angeles Clippers GM Michael Winger has agreed to become the President of Monumental Basketball, which delivers him full leadership of the Washington Wizards. Winger will also oversee the WNBA Mystics and G-League Go-Go. pic.twitter.com/3ldnt8DhtZ
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 24, 2023
The team that Winger constructed in LA has been competitive but injuries have ruined success for them every season. He won’t be tasked with rebuilding that project but instead will run an entire organization in Washington. The challenge of picking a direction with Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma, and Kristaps Porzingis on the roster won’t be easy.
The Wizards Are Directionless
The Washington Wizards somehow managed to corner themselves into a situation where they’ve refused to tank but haven’t been good enough to compete. They’re likely to lose Kyle Kuzma this summer with Kristaps Porzingis on an expiring contract for next season if he accepts his player option. Bradley Beal has a no-trade clause, so Winger can’t even trade Beal unless the player signs off on the destination.
With Beal’s contract essentially making him a negative asset in the modern NBA, owed nearly $200 million over the next four seasons. If he gets traded, Washington is liable to give him a trade kicker along with whichever team he goes to also having to respect Beal’s no-trade clause if they try to move him.
Recent draft picks haven’t worked out, so Winger has a multi-year job of re-establishing this franchise in the Eastern Conference.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
