The Wizards have fired 56-year old head coach Flip Saunders. The Wizards were 2-15 on the year when Saunders got the axe as they averaged 88.6 points while giving up 99.3 points per game so far this year. Saunders compiled a 51-130 (28.2%) record in his three years in charge for the Wizards. He now has a career record of 638-526 (54.8%) during the regular season in his first 16 years on the job. He is also 47-51 (48%) in the playoffs. The Wizards are going to replace Saunders with 50-year old Randy Wittman for the rest of this season. He last was a head coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2008-09. He has a 100-207 (32.6%) record during his first five years as a NBA head coach. Don’t expect miracles out of Wittman as this is going to be a very long season for the Wizards.

The Wizards have waived 28-year old SF/SG Larry Owens. Owens played in 5 games (0 starts) for the Wizards last year and he averaged 22.4 minutes, 6.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He played in 12 games (0 starts) overall as a rookie for the Spurs & Wizards last year and he averaged 11.9 minutes, 3.3 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. This isn’t much of a loss for the Wizards going forward.

The Wizards have re-signed 26-year old shooting guard Nick Young to a 1-year, $3.7 million dollar deal. Young played in 64 games (40 starts) for the Wizards last year and he averaged 31.8 minutes, 17.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. He has now played in 295 games (70 starts) in his first four years with the Wizards and he is averaging 21.9 minutes, 10.9 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game. Young really broke out last year and the Wizards hope that it is a preview of things to come.

The Wizards have re-signed 33-year old shooting guard Maurice Evans to a 1-year deal for the veteran’s minimum. Evans played in 73 games (24 starts) for the Wizards & Falcons last year and he averaged 21.2 minutes, 6.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. He has now played in 538 games (123 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 19.7 minutes, 6.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. Evans will give the young Wizards a veteran player to get wisdom from. He should also help them off the bench with his play.

The Washington Wizards have acquired 28-year old PF/C Ronny Turiaf, a 2013 second round pick and cash from the Knicks. They are also getting a 2012 second round pick from the Dallas Mavericks in this deal. All the Wizards are giving up is a protected 2012 second round pick, which they are sending to the Mavericks. The Mavericks dealt center Tyson Chandler and the draft rights to 24-year old power forward Ahmad Nivins and 26-year old forward Giorgos Printezis to the Knicks as part of this deal. The Mavericks are getting 25-year old shooting guard Andy Rautins and a huge trade exception from the Knicks.

Ronny Turiaf played in 64 games (21 starts) for the Knicks and he averaged 17.8 minutes, 4.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 blocked shots per game. He has now played in 358 games (90 starts) in his first six years in the NBA and he is averaging 17.9 minutes, 5.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.4 blocked shots per game. Turiaf should be able to provide defense and rebounding off the bench for the Wizards going forward. I really like this move for the Wizards as they essentially are getting something for nothing by getting involved in this deal with the Knicks & Mavericks.