Troy Brown: As soon as I heard those words, I knew my time in D.C. was over. The voice on the other end of the phone was Tommy Sheppard, the Wizards’ general manager. He said a few other things with positive words of encouragement and told me I was headed to Chicago. I always knew there was a chance that I would be traded, mainly because I just hadn’t been playing that much lately and in the NBA, players get traded all the time. Even though it’s nice to feel wanted, nothing prepared me for that moment.
Tommy Sheppard Rumors
Chase Hughes: Wizards GM Tommy Sheppard says he expects both Daniel Gafford and Chandler Hutchison to play on Saturday. Hutchison has been out since Feb. 5 due to personal reasons.
Sources tell me that Wizards GM Tommy Sheppard has been “the most active” they’ve ever seen working the phone to acquire impact players. However, most negotiations have come to a standstill and it’s “likely” the team doesn’t make any trades ahead of the March 25 deadline.
This year, as they approach the March 25 trade deadline, the Wizards want to make up some ground to reach the playoffs but also not mortgage their future in any significant way. As general manager Tommy Sheppard has said publicly, he does not plan to take any shortcuts. So, the expectation should be that they will do something, but likely nothing major. And according to a person familiar with their plans, defense will be of the utmost concern.
