WASHINGTON – A single cloud covered the nation’s capital on Thursday.
But though mist and smoke engulfed the city, another cloud seemed to dissipate.
The despondency and gloom of recent years has evaporated over Capital One Arena, at least for a day. In a made-for-TV event resembling a commercial, the Washington Wizards introduced two of their new CEOs, Monumental Basketball President Michael Winger and Wizards General Manager Will Dawkins. With their arrival, long-suffering fans of the franchise can expect a new approach and possibly better results in the long run.
“I think the market is starving for some basketball hope, and there’s a lot of excitement about being part of a team that can offer that hope,” Wenger said.
Winger, Dawkins and Monumental Sports & Entertainment principal owner Ted Leonsis hit all the right notes during the 40-minute Q&A session as well as the ensuing media and one-on-one interviews. Winger and Dawkins inherited a team that had missed the playoffs in four of the past five years and – all the more corrosive to fans’ confidence – lacked an easy-to-elaborate plan. Against this background, it was difficult for either of them to stumble.
Leonsis said: “Obviously, I was very interested in a fresh start and going forward, starting with a leader who can attract a large group of executives to help us build a team that can legitimately and honestly, honestly say that it has a positive side, that it is competitive, that the fans fall in love with it.” And that we can have championship aspirations.”
What, exactly, the new approach to menu building will be is still not clear. In fact, Winger and Dawkins haven’t provided many details about what they plan to do. This isn’t unusual, and it’s not just an introductory press conference. How often do managers of basketball operations across the league telegraph their next steps for public consumption ahead of time? Not often.
A new day in the District. pic.twitter.com/7LFfVyQYri
– Washington Wizards June 8, 2023
Many rival executives expect Wenger and Dawkins to rebuild the Wizards roster, if not immediately, then within the next year. Kyle Kuzma intends to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. If Kristaps Porziis does not exercise his player option for next season, he will also become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Bradley Bell carries a no-trade clause in his five-year, $251 million contract, but it seems unlikely that, with his 30th birthday later this month, he’d be interested in seeing a full roster around him.
Asked by the press, Winger confirmed what the athlete Reported May 25: He has full authority to rebuild if that’s what he and his basketball operations staff decide to do.
Leonsis changed the Wizards’ organizational structure to resemble that of the Washington Capitals. The hockey team has a president (Dick Patrick) who oversees the franchise wide and a senior vice president/general manager (Brian McClellan) who handles day-to-day decisions and personnel matters. In the new structure of the Wizards, Winger’s role is close to that of Patrick, and Dawkins’ responsibilities are similar to those of MacLellan.
Leonsis cancels heavy model for Wizards, WNBA’s Mystics, G League’s Capital City Go-Go Made a sensation in 2019. In this organizational chart, Monumental Basketball’s President of Planning and Operations, Sachi Brown, oversaw facilities management, communications, technology, finance, security, research, and player engagement. Wizards General Manager Tommy Sheppard managed strategy, analytics, player staffing, scouting, and coaching for Wizards and the Go-Go. Chief Athlete Welfare and Performance Daniel Medina was responsible for medical matters but did not report to Sheppard.
Brown left the organization in early 2022 to become president of the Baltimore Ravens. Leonsis Sheppard was kicked out nearly two months ago. Only Medina remains.
This time, Leonsis has consolidated the broad oversight of all divisions under one person, Winger.
Dawkins will run Wizards day in and day out. However, it’s generally fair to describe Winger as CEO of the Wizards and Dawkins as CEO No. 2 even if their job titles don’t quite reflect that.
Wenger said, “I will be the first in charge. Whatever decisions we make, I am the first in charge.”
Key personnel decisions will be collaborative efforts, involving not only Dawkins but also Weinger, Senior Vice President of Personnel Player Travis Schlink and others. Winger’s skill set revolves less about player assessment and more about developing a broad roster building strategy, understanding collective bargaining agreement and negotiation. The ward will have the final say on individuals’ decisions, but is unlikely to veto a move Dawkins wants to make; A rare veto would occur if a potential move would have a detrimental effect on the team’s cap sheet or if Winger knew something about a player off the field that the rest of the staff did not.
When asked about the decision-making process at the Wizards, Wenger replied, “I think it’s probably as unconventional as Will and I will collaborate on every meaningful decision on the roster, every meaningful executive decision at a high level. But it shouldn’t be.” Something’s wrong: Will runs basketball operations for the Wizards, and whatever that day-to-day management calls for, whatever decisions it takes, these are Will’s decisions to make.
“Company decisions, higher-level employee decisions—I will definitely be involved (in those). There will be a team of us involved: (John) Thompson III involved, Travis involved, Wes (Unseld Jr.) involved, Will, me, et al. We’ll be just like we were. and Will in Oklahoma City together, a very collaborative group… (with) almost non-existent isolated decision-making”.
Dawkins has held many roles during his 15 years with the Thunder, ranging from assistant video coordinator to director of college player personnel to, most recently, vice president of basketball operations. His strengths must complement Winger’s weaknesses and vice versa.
Dawkins said, “At the end of the day, it has to be a collaborative approach. It’s not going to be one person making decisions. And I don’t think it has to be.”
Hope wasn’t the only topic Thursday.
Such was patience. The suite set an ambitious tone, but he and Leonsis took pains to ensure that the Wizards’ fortunes wouldn’t change overnight.
“The ultimate expectation is that we will build a generational competitor,” Wenger said. “We’ll eventually have a championship-fighting team. I can’t promise when that will be. But there’s no excuse for the only NBA team in Washington, D.C., not to be a perennial contender or at least chasing after championships.”
“So, that’s the goal. The goal is to pursue championships by any means necessary. It will take some time.”
(Photo by Will Dawkins, Michael Winger and Ted Leonsis: Andrew Templey / Courtesy of The Washington Wizards)