Woj: HC Scott Brooks, Wizards Part Ways After Failing to Agree to New Contract

The Scott Brooks era in Washington is reportedly over. 

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Brooks and the Wizards mutually parted ways Wednesday after failing to come to an agreement on a new contract.

The Wizards went 34-38 during the 2020-21 regular season, although they did reach the playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference before getting eliminated in the first round in five games by the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers.

Brooks' contract with the Wizards expired after Washington was eliminated, and the two sides were unable to reach a new deal.

The 55-year-old went 183-207 in his five seasons with the Wizards, leading the team to the postseason three times. Washington has now gone three straight seasons without a winning record, and this season was considered a disappointment given the star backcourt of Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook. 

Washington's defense has been poor and a key reason for its losing record this season. But a key figure in Thomas Bryant was also lost for the season with a torn ACL, and the team dealt with COVID-19 issues early in the year that hurt the integration of new players such as Westbrook and first-round pick Deni Avdija. 

With Brooks gone and the Wizards failing to meet expectations, the conversation is going to turn to the future of Beal in Washington. To this point, he has been adamant he wants to stay with the organization.

“We wanna win," Beal told Shams Charania and Fred Katz of The Athletic in February. "I wanna win. This is why I stayed. I wanna win (here). I figure this is the place I can get it done.

However, Beal is also in his prime and hasn't won a playoff series since the 2016-17 season. If he decides he wants to move on, no shortage of contending teams will come calling.

It's possible Beal is in this for the long haul, but Brooks' departure will inevitably shift the conversation to his future.