
When Ron and Kevin last talked, the Washington Wizards had just parted ways with previous team president Tommy Sheppard. Now the Wizards have found Sheppard's replacement — Michael Winger, a 43-year old NBA executive who gained experience with three successful franchises over the past couple decades.
The resume version of his background would highlight the fact that he's been part of executive leadership groups that reached seven conference finals and two NBA finals over the past 13 years. Winger's signature transaction as general manager of the Los Angeles Clippers was the mammoth trade that netted the team Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
The non-resume version would include the realities that he was part of the executive leadership group that made the Cleveland Cavaliers roster so bloated and expensive that LeBron James decided he couldn't win in his home state and bolted for the Miami Heat. And, Winger was part of choosing Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka over James Harden in Oklahoma City. And, with the Clippers, he oversaw the unwieldy and widely lampooned load management system, and benefited immensely from the unlimited resources provided by Steve Ballmer.
That said, there are a high number of crimes Wizards fans would commit to see the team reach seven conference finals and two NBA finals over the next 13 years. After all, this is a franchise with four series wins (no more than one in any season) over the past 40 years.
We discuss all this and much-much more in this episode.
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