HoopsHype.com Rumors

Michael Lee: Randy Wittman on #wizards at trade deadline: "You’re always looking to improve your team. Always. Especially when you’re in our situation." Twitter @MrMichaelLee

Washington Wizards, Trade, Randy Wittman 

Craig Stouffer: Randy Wittman on what causes #Wizards to stray from unselfish play: "You know, human nature's a bitch." Twitter @CraigStouffer

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Randy Wittman 

Sam Amico: Wizards coach Randy Wittman: "We've got too many guys worried just about shooting the basketball and not about the other parts of the game." Twitter @SamAmicoFSO

Washington Wizards, Randy Wittman 

Washington has been decimated by injuries, with John Wall, Trevor Ariza, Beal and Nene among the unavailable players, and lost their sixth straight. ''That was an embarrassment, and I apologize to our ownership and to our fans,'' Washington coach Randy Wittman said. ''I especially apologize to anyone who watched that entire game. I would have turned it off after the first five minutes.'' Jordan Crawford led Washington with 20 points, but no one else scored more than 10 points. ''This was a situation where we had some key guys out, which meant our other guys had a chance to step up and prove that they belong in the NBA,'' Wittman said in a postgame news conference that only lasted one question. ''That didn't happen. We may only have nine guys, but I need to find five of them who are willing to show me that they deserve to be here.'' Yahoo! Sports

Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards, John Wall, Trevor Ariza, Jordan Crawford, Randy Wittman 

Coach Randy Wittman, who on Monday wondered if an exorcist could come into the Verizon Center, admitted to questioning nearly everything in his world. "I look up every morning to make sure the sky is up there -- that it's not falling in on me," Wittman said. ESPN.com

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Randy Wittman 

He took to snapping at fans who chided him for removing Nene from the game during overtime. Nene has been hampered by a left foot injury, and he's playing limited minutes. Wittman has tried to limit him to 20 minutes. On Tuesday, he played 24, but that didn't satisfy the crowd. "I had fans heckling me," Wittman said. "They're killing me. I had to turn around and say something to them today." ESPN.com

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Randy Wittman 

“Doctors confuse me sometimes,” Wittman said. “I sprain my ankle, and they say it’s going to be two to four weeks. How do you know it’s going to be two to four weeks? It just depends on how you heal and stuff. Some people heal quicker, some don’t. It’s frustrating.” Washington Times

Washington Wizards, John Wall, Injuries, Randy Wittman 

Jonathan Feigen: WashPost reported Wiz had chance to trade for Harden. Wittman postgame: "Anytime you add a player like that, he's going to make you better." Twitter @Jonathan_Feigen

Washington Wizards, Trade, James Harden, Randy Wittman 

The Wizards had to pay former coach Flip Saunders for this season, even though they fired him after 17 games last season. Wittman, meanwhile, is just 17 games into the first season of his two-year deal. Though Wittman is not getting paid the same as Saunders, Washington isn't enamored with the idea of paying three head coaches in a season that likely will not include the playoffs. USA Today

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Flip Saunders, Randy Wittman 

The consistent word in coaching circles is that the Wizards' Randy Wittman will be next in this merciless business to lose his job, amid ongoing whispers that he has been saved to this point largely only because Wizards owner Ted Leonsis is keeping cost-effective Wittman in place. ESPN.com

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Randy Wittman 

Maybe he thought his players could provide a different perspective on how to fix a season that has started with 12 straight losses. Whatever his rationale, the Wizards’ 53-year-old head coach decided on Tuesday to close his locker room doors, open the floor to his players and hear their suggestions. “I always want a dialogue with my players,” Wittman said. “If they see things that can be done differently they’ve got to speak up. … I want to hear their reasoning for if we're not doing something the right way. Is there a better way for them that they can see?” CSNWashington.com

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Randy Wittman 

No matter who Washington puts on the court, the team can’t seem to compete. Wizards head coach Randy Wittman has changed his starting lineup on four different occasions and eight different players have started multiple games for Washington. Wittman takes full responsibility for the losing streak. “I’m not pointing a finger at my players,” Wittman said. “Obviously, it lies with me. I know it lies with me and I’ve got to figure a way out to get this right. That’s what my job is and I’ll take full responsibility for that. I’ll continue to work and try to find a starting combination, people to play. That’s my job. Obviously, I’m not pushing the right buttons or pulling the right strings right now. I’ll continue to try to figure that out.” HoopsWorld

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Randy Wittman 

However, it may be time for someone else to push the buttons and pull the strings. Wittman took over as head coach after Flip Saunders was fired last year and then his interim tag was removed last summer. When the Wizards decided to retain Wittman as head coach, many around the league felt that this was a mistake and that he wasn’t the right person to lead Washington going forward. After all, Wittman had never had a winning season as a head coaching and his all-time record was 118-238 entering this year. HoopsWorld

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Randy Wittman 

Michael Lee: Wittman on Blatche: "Not going to get into that. We did everything we could to help him as we will with every player that ever comes here." Twitter @MrMichaelLee

Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, Andray Blatche, Randy Wittman 

Losing has been the only constant, with the Wizards (0-9) off to the worst start in the history of a franchise that has had numerous lean years over the past three decades. “This isn’t fun,” Wittman said. “You don’t sleep very good. You don’t eat very good. The bowl of pasta doesn’t taste worth [guano] right now.” Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Randy Wittman 

The Wizards have been competitive in nearly every game except a lopsided loss in Charlotte, but only because different collections of players perform well on varying nights. “He has a tough job. He’s trying to find a way to find wins,” center Emeka Okafor said of Wittman. “He’s doing what he can, like we all are. It’s a difficult position. when you’re 0-9, you’re trying to find a way, but it’s difficult.” Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Emeka Okafor, Coaching, Randy Wittman 

Following his team’s ninth straight loss, a 98-89 setback to the Indiana Pacers in front of a sparse crowd of 14,426 at Verizon Center, the Wizards coach wondered what it would take for him to find someone to lead his team to its first victory of the season. “I’m looking down the whole roster,” he said, “and if I had a cell phone I’d be calling the waiver wire trying to find another body. I mean, I’m just searching right now -- searching for people to give me consistency.” CSNWashington.com

Washington Wizards, Free Agency, Randy Wittman 

“I don’t know who to start, who to play, who not to play,” Wittman said. “It’s a confusion of different guys, every game. Whether starter or bench. We have no consistency. To get off to a start like we did tonight, it was no excuse for it. I’m looking down the whole roster and if I had a cellphone, I’d call the waiver wire, trying to find another body. Searching, right now. Searching for people to give me consistency.” Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Randy Wittman 

Craig Stouffer: Gotta love Randy Wittman: "I come in here every day thinking this is the night. I feel good. I might be dumb, but I do." #Wizards Twitter @CraigStouffer

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Randy Wittman 

Along with the boos during Saturday night’s loss came chants of “Fire Wittman!” One disgruntled fan stood and shouted as the game ended, “Ted, we deserve better!” The lone ray of hope is anticipating the return of John Wall and Nene, both of whom don’t have a timetable for return. Nene participated in his first practice Friday, but he is still likely to be weeks away from returning. As fans point out, not too many teams would be off to a good start with their two best players sidelined with injuries, but Wittman isn’t buying it. “That’s an excuse,” he said. “We’ve got enough here to win games, and we’ve got to believe that. I’ve got to help them believe in themselves. We’re low on confidence right now.” Washington Times

Washington Wizards, Coaching, Randy Wittman