HoopsHype.com Rumors

The Washington Wizards announced today that they have agreed to a new contract with President Ernie Grunfeld. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not released. “Ernie has led the charge to rebuild and change the direction of the Wizards and I’m pleased that we will continue to work together to improve upon what we’ve accomplished,” said Monumental Sports & Entertainment Majority Owner, Chairman and CEO Ted Leonsis. “In the process of almost completely turning over the team’s roster in the last two years, we have accumulated and developed young players and added veteran players while maintaining cap flexibility, all of which will help us build a competitive team going forward.” NBA.com

Washington Wizards, Ernie Grunfeld, Ted Leonsis 

According to the two league officials, Leonsis in recent weeks has refused to correspond with agents representing prospective Wizasds’ general managers interested in replacing Grunfeld. The team’s owner since the spring of 2010, Leonsis negotiated only with Grunfeld. Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Ernie Grunfeld, Ted Leonsis 

Sam Amick: Wizards owner Ted Leonsis believed to be behind most of the moves made since he took over in '10, so maybe that's why Grunfeld was absolved. Twitter

Washington Wizards, Ernie Grunfeld, Ted Leonsis 

Ted Leonsis: This blog post has no truth in it - it is a joke and an April Fool’s day prank. I wanted to go on record to say my quotes were fabricated. I did NOT respond nor was I contacted in any way about this story. I did not participate in any way in this blog post and prank. Further, there is no Wizards jersey designed with this sponsor on it. This is all photoshoped. The blog was done I am sure in fun and without malice – but it is important for me and for us to distance ourselves from its content .And to set the record straight. Thank you. Ted Leonsis

Washington Wizards, Ted Leonsis 

Sources within the Wizards organization have denied a published report that President Ernie Grunfeld recently rejected owner Ted Leonsis’s three-year, $4.5 million proposal to stay with the franchise. Grunfeld’s contract is set to expire after this season, but team sources said he has not been offered an extension and another person with knowledge of the situation said the New York Post report was “made up.” Washington Post

Ernie Grunfeld, Ted Leonsis, New Washington Wizards 

When asked about his contract situation at the end of last season, Grunfeld said, “I’m under contract. I’m not really even thinking about that at all ... All I’m thinking about is making this team as good as possible and continue to do the plan that we have in place.” Grunfeld has been one of the league’s highest-paid general managers for the past five years, with league sources contending that he earns a salary between $3.5 million and $4.5 million. The salaries for general managers and coaches have dipped considerably in recent years, with teams seeking different ways to cut down costs. Washington Post

Ernie Grunfeld, Ted Leonsis, New Washington Wizards 

Dan Steinberg: Ted Leonsis refers to us as "the local pixel maker," says The Post is "harboring criminals now." http://www.tedstake.com/2012/0… Twitter

Washington Wizards, Media, Ted Leonsis 

Ted Leonsis: I was one of the co-founders of Aol’s Digital City – Bob Smith and Paul DeBenedictus helped to create it – we opened a city operation in Boston – and Bill Simmons wrote a clever little column about Boston sports. He was a talent; very ambitious and quite a good writer. He got his start as did many other bloggers at Aol; back in the day. That is the history – Bill was discovered by Aol. Bet you didn’t know that? Ted Leonsis

Washington Wizards, Ted Leonsis, Bill Simmons 

Right now – everything is under a microscope – we know we have to make more investment in additional player development and we shall. We know we have to implement a system that complements the talent we have – you heard yesterday talk about “tempo and pace”; and “length, and depth and athleticism”. Ted Leonsis

Washington Wizards, Free Agency, Trade, Ted Leonsis 

I also think it is important for the team to internalize its own strengths and weaknesses; play to its strength and mitigate much of the lack of experience we have as a very young team. This falls under the category of ” keeping it simpler and more efficient as to game plans”. We are continuing to rebuild; I am sure our roster will be changing as we monitor and assess where we are; I am sure that we will add to our team and subtract from our team via trades- via the next draft – via free agency – via buy outs. We will use all the tools available to us to improve. Ted Leonsis

Washington Wizards, Free Agency, Trade, Ted Leonsis 

Nearly a year ago, Bog reader Colin Wilcox discovered a ghastly NBA logo jacket featuring the Wizards’ old Wizard logo with a new red-white-and-blue color scheme. A bunch of us posted the logo, prompting Ted Leonsis to write this: Many of you have seen a new version of a Wizards logo circulating online. We won’t get into confirming or denying the validity of any logo designs. We appreciate and understand the excitement surrounding the new color scheme, and we are planning a comprehensive brand launch. We will announce the specific date for our public unveiling event soon and look forward to sharing our new brand identify with our fans. The brand finally launched, and it was all beautiful. Sure, that red white and blue Wizard creature still existed, but sources indicated that it would virtually never be used by the franchise. Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Ted Leonsis 

Problem is, the rest of the league and media world may not have gotten that message. I was in Vegas over the weekend, and the place I alighted Sunday afternoon was showing the Minnesota feed of the Wizards game, and that dang ugly red Wizard kept showing up throughout the broadcast. Like, a huge version of it, flashing across the screen on the way to commercial breaks. Horrific. On my plane ride home, I was reading Sports Illustrated, when what should I see but the same ugly Wizard. Be gone, you red demon. Leave us with our pretty-but-winless team. There’s enough ugliness without you around. Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Ted Leonsis 

A source with knowledge of the team's thinking reiterated last week that majority owner Ted Leonsis remained committed to the long term and that the team was not going to make a reactionary move in the face of early-season struggles, even if there was disappointment in the players' performances. Washington Examiner

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Ted Leonsis, Flip Saunders 

Former Wizards owner Irene Pollin created the opening for the franchise to possibly return to the nickname, Bullets, saying recently that if fans of Washington ‘s basketball team wanted the change, she wouldn’t have a problem with the decision. When asked to respond last week, current Wizards owner Ted Leonsis initially declined to comment. He later issued a statement that didn’t express his specific thoughts about the name Bullets and instead addressed the franchise’s re-brand, which will make its debut when the team takes the court for its home opener on Monday at 7 p.m. against the New Jersey Nets. “The Wizards organization, our fans, our players and our alumni remain extremely excited about the return to red, white and blue and the introduction of our new team marks. Our focus is a commitment to celebrating that change with our fans,” Leonsis said. Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Ted Leonsis 

Michael Lee: John Wall, when told that Ted Leonsis said he loves him: "I love him, too." #wizards Twitter

Washington Wizards, John Wall, Ted Leonsis 

Michael Lee: Ted Leonsis: "I love John Wall. He's really a high quality individual." #wizards Twitter

Washington Wizards, John Wall, Ted Leonsis 

Chris Miller: Ted Leonsis just hugged Javale McGee and told him "where's the love" the first embrace of owner/player. Thank Goodness basketball is back. Twitter

Washington Wizards, Javale McGee, Ted Leonsis 

Mike Prada: Ted Leonsis confirms he ratified the new CBA. So he wasn't one of the five who didn't. Twitter

Washington Wizards, CBA, Lockout, Ted Leonsis 

Among the most intractable owners, according to sources -- Paul Allen, Dan Gilbert, Robert Sarver, Michael Heisley, Ted Leonsis, Mikhail Prokhorov (yes, him), and now we learn, Michael Jordan -- only Heisley has faced any kind of public backlash. The Grizzlies owner, who admitted last week he doesn't even know what's going on in the negotiations, has been the only one to face a potential challenge in the form of a possible lawsuit by the city of Memphis to recoup losses sustained by a prolonged lockout. CBSSports.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Memphis Grizzlies, New Jersey Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, Michael Jordan, Paul Allen, Dan Gilbert, Mikhail Prokhorov, Michael Heisley, Lockout, Robert Sarver, Ted Leonsis 

When the Wizards introduced their retro-flavored red-white-and-blue uniforms, many fans assumed (or hoped, anyhow) that this was the first step in an eventual move toward the Bullets, or at least away from the Wizards. Well, put away those dreams, Bullet lovers. Owner Ted Leonsis was on WTOP Monday morning, and was asked whether a name change might eventually accompany the uniform change. “That went off really really well,” he said, focusing on the uniforms aspect. “I think when bloggers are calling it the most beautiful thing they’ve ever seen and Sports Illustrated uses it as their proxy of the best-looking uniforms, I’m really proud of what we did. Going back to the red white and blue for all of our teams has really worked. The fans love it and I can’t wait to see those uniforms in the flesh. Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Ted Leonsis