Wizards anticipate that coach Brian Keefe will continue on the bench.
The Washington Wizards are anticipating the return of Brian Keefe as their head coach for the 2026-27 season, as stated by general manager Will Dawkins during a press conference on Thursday.
“I expect Brian to be here,” Dawkins remarked when queried about Keefe’s future during his end-of-season address.
Keefe has managed one of the NBA’s youngest lineups throughout his more than two seasons with the Wizards, guiding Washington through a rebuilding period and overseeing the growth of a team that included multiple first-round selections: center Alex Sarr, guards Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington, and forwards Bilal Coulibaly, Will Riley, and Kyshawn George.
Since succeeding Wes Unseld in January 2024, Keefe has recorded a 43-160 win-loss record.
This season, Washington executed two significant trades around the deadline, acquiring All-Star guard Trae Young from the Atlanta Hawks and Anthony Davis from the Dallas Mavericks.
Young participated in only five games for the Wizards before being sidelined due to irritation in his right quadriceps and back.
Davis did not appear in any games for Washington because of a sprained finger on his non-dominant hand. Davis, who has one more season remaining on his contract, stated on Monday that he is dedicated to the Wizards for at least the 2026-27 season, humorously adding, “I love my money.”
Washington is also optimistic about their chances in the lottery to secure the No. 1 pick in a deep draft. The Wizards concluded the season with the worst record in the NBA at 17-65 and will be among three teams with a 14% likelihood of obtaining the top pick. They cannot drop lower than the fifth position in the draft.
“We placed him in a situation this season that was somewhat challenging when considering the level of youth [and] the amount of change we experienced,” Dawkins commented regarding Keefe’s performance.
Keefe, 50, has a long history as an NBA assistant coach, having spent over a decade in that capacity with the Seattle SuperSonics, Oklahoma City Thunder (on two occasions), New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, and Wizards before receiving his first head coaching role.
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
