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Report: Washington Wizards ‘on the verge’ of hiring assistant coach

By Sam Richmond

Mar 20, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) dribbles the ball against the Portland Trail Blazers in the first half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 20, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) dribbles the ball against the Portland Trail Blazers in the first half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports /
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A week after losing assistant coach Sam Cassell to Doc Rivers’ staff in Los Angeles, the Washington Wizards are “on the verge” of hiring Roy Rogers, according to J. Michael of CSN Washington.

"He’ll be allowed out of his contract with the Brooklyn Nets, where he served as an assistant under Jason Kidd. Kidd left after one season to take the leading job with the Milwaukee Bucks this summer. Lionel Hollins was hired by Brooklyn and didn’t have room on his bench for Rogers, though he was being allowed to work in the background while the franchise still paid him.(…)He’s expected to take Cassell’s place on the bench, with Don Newman remaining as the lead assistant to coach Randy Wittman.A couple of others who would’ve been interested in the job, but did not get interviews, CSN was told: Greg Buckner and Chris Whitney."

Rogers was a first-round pick in the 1996 NBA draft as a power forward out of Alabama. His best season came in his rookie year with the Vancouver Grizzlies; he averaged  6.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. He spent two more seasons in the NBA, playing for the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors in the 1997-98 season and with the Denver Nuggets in the 1999-2000 season. The big man also played in the ABA, Russia, Italy and Poland.

The Wizards won 44 games this past season and were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the Indiana Pacers.

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