HoopsHype.com Rumors

The Washington Wizards are finalizing details on a two-year contract for interim coach Randy Wittman to become head coach, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. Yahoo! Sports

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Randy Wittman 

An announcement is planned for next week, sources said. The Washington Post recently reported Wittman’s likely promotion. The Wizards won’t make a significant financial commitment to Wittman, sources said, and that’s a trend that more franchises are expected to continue. After the NBA lockout, many owners are determined to pay front-office and coaching staffs less money. The Wizards are a big-market team that could’ve successfully competed for higher-profile head coaches available, including Mike D’Antoni, Nate McMillan and Stan Van Gundy, but chose to keep Wittman on a shorter, less expensive contract. Yahoo! Sports

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Randy Wittman 

Michael Lee: League source confirms #wizards working to complete a deal that will keep Randy Wittman with team for at least next season Twitter

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Randy Wittman 

Michael Lee: #wizards liked job Randy Wittman did after replacing Flip Saunders, but a league source explained, “It’s completely a money decision.” Twitter

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Randy Wittman 

The Washington Wizards have remained noncommittal publicly about bringing back Coach Randy Wittman but a lack of aggressiveness with so many big name candidates available has spoken volumes about their plans. Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Randy Wittman 

The Washington Wizards plan to retain Randy Wittman as their coach, league sources said, even though no official announcement is expected anytime soon. ESPN.com

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Randy Wittman 

There are several high-profile head coaches on the market -- Stan Van Gundy, Jerry Sloan and Nate McMillan lead the list -- but the Wizards have not expressed any interest in interviewing them or any other potential candidates. ESPN.com

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Randy Wittman 

Had the Wizards won the draft lottery and earned the right to draft Kentucky's Anthony Davis, the cost of investing in a higher- profile coach might've been worthwhile, a source said, but with the Wizards still in rebuilding mode and the job Wittman did with their young players last season, the team will stand pat for now. ESPN.com

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Randy Wittman 

Leonsis told me that he was moved to meet with Wittman after John Wall and Nene, among others, expressed their support for him. But I think they have actually been good with Wittman, considering they aren't interviewing other coaches while he's still under contract. Washington Post

Washington Wizards, John Wall, Coaching, Randy Wittman 

Ted Leonsis On Randy Wittman’s future: Randy is under contract. And right now, he’s our coach. And I was very impressed with the job that Randy did. But more importantly, I was impressed during the exit interviews. To a man, the players all felt that the way that we played after the trade wasn’t fool’s gold. It wasn’t the end of the season and other teams weren’t trying. That this was a serious team. A team that was playing for one another. A team that’s coachable and working really, really had and it started to see the lights turning on, that if they played the right way they would get results. So we started to take that into consideration, but the players really liked the coach and the staff. That speaks volumes on what decision we’ll have to make. Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Ted Leonsis, Randy Wittman 

More on Wittman: Randy is under contract. The entire staff is under contract. The most important signals to me, was in all the exit interviews, to a man, everyone thought that Randy did a fantastic job. So that gave me confidence that I should interview and I had a quality day with Randy. And we still talking through some things and I feel very, very comfortable that when Nene has been around and a John Wall, both say thiswas a coach that treated us the right way, respected the game and we listened to him. When a Kevin Seraphin comes in and says: ‘He trusted me. He’s making me a better player and I wanted him to yell at me. The more he yelled at me, the more I know he really cares.’ We have good data points. Ernie’s got some decisions to make. But I was very, very comfortable with the exit interviews and the input on the coach. Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Ted Leonsis, Randy Wittman 

Ted Leonsis: Randy (Wittman) is under contract. The entire staff is under contract. The most important signals to me, was in all the exit interviews, to a man, everyone thought that Randy did a fantastic job. So that gave me confidence that I should interview and I had a quality day with Randy Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Ted Leonsis, Randy Wittman 

Ted Leonsis confirmed that he met with Wittman recently after hearing overwhelming support from players such as John Wall and Nene during the exit interviews. “Everyone thought that Randy did a fantastic job,” Leonsis said, adding that he felt “very, very comfortable” with Wittman. Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Ted Leonsis, Randy Wittman 

Michael Lee: Asked about Wittman, Ernie Grunfeld didn't commit but said "situation will be resolved way before the draft. We like the job Randy's done." Twitter @MrMichaelLee

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Ernie Grunfeld, Randy Wittman 

Ernie Grunfeld on Coach Randy Wittman - "I've said it all along, Randy has done a very good job. The players responded to him very well. He and I work well together and the players like him. Randy is under contract as well as the rest of our staff. " Facebook.com

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Ernie Grunfeld, Owners, Randy Wittman 

Mike Prada: For what it's worth, spoke to a source who seemed a bit surprised by Ernie Grunfeld's quote. Said nothing's been finalized yet Twitter

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Ernie Grunfeld, Owners, Randy Wittman 

Mike Prada: The source did confirm, though, that Wittman is under contract for next year Twitter

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Ernie Grunfeld, Owners, Randy Wittman 

Adrian Wojnarowski: With Del Negro staying, Scott Brooks has lost a great deal of leverage in contract talks with OKC. Wizards likely to keep Randy Wittman. Twitter

Oklahoma City Thunder, Washington Wizards, Coaching, Scott Brooks, Randy Wittman 

Nearly a month after the Wizards concluded the regular season, the team has still been extremely quiet about its plans for Coach Randy Wittman. A source with knowledge of the Wizards’ thinking recently described the situation as “an ongoing process,” adding that the team has no timetable to make a decision. Wittman and his assistants are still under contract for next season, lessening the urgency. But the silence – and lack of aggressiveness in pursuing other potential candidates – has raised speculation amongst agents and rival league executives that they all will be brought back. Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Randy Wittman 

According to multiple league sources, Wittman was in Washington last week and recently had a face-to-face meeting with owner Ted Leonsis. A source that confirmed the meeting was unsure if it was a perfunctory get-to-know-you session or a formal interview. Leonsis often sat near the Wizards’ bench during games, but never had the chance to sit down with Wittman after he replaced Flip Saunders on Jan. 24. Wittman went 18-31 after taking over the team and several players – including John Wall – expressed their support for having him return for a full season. The Wizards made considerable progress, especially on the defensive end, after acquiring Nene in a trade deadline deal and finished the season on a six-game winning streak. They were 11-14 after the trade and 7-4 with Nene in uniform. Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Randy Wittman