WASHINGTON — Flip Saunders has agreed to become the new coach of the Washington Wizards, with an announcement expected next week, according to an NBA executive.
Owner Abe Pollin has approved the hiring of Saunders, the choice of president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld, to succeed interim coach Ed Tapscott, the executive told The Associated Press.
The executive spoke on condition of anonymity because the season has not ended and the Wizards are not yet prepared to make a formal announcement.
The Wizards are 19-62 after Monday night’s home loss to Toronto and need to win their final game at Boston to avoid matching the franchise mark for worst record over an 82-game season.
Saunders has coached for 13 NBA seasons, 10 with Minnesota and three with Detroit, with a career record of 587-396. Eleven of those teams made the playoffs, and he led the Pistons to three consecutive trips to the Eastern Conference finals from 2006 to 2008.
Allen suspended.
The NBA suspended Boston’s Ray Allen one game for elbowing Cleveland forward Anderson Varejao in the groin.
Allen sat out the Celtics’ game in Philadelphia on Tuesday. Kevin Garnett also missed the game to rest his strained knee.
The Associated Press
