The Mystics cleaning house after a failed tank job won't fix anything

The Washington Mystics apt won’t onshore Paige Bueckers aft a grounded vessel job, and cleaning location will not hole much.

On Wednesday, Washington parted ways pinch wide head Mike Thibault and his son, caput coach Eric Thibault. Eric’s departure is nan 5th coach firing since nan play ended conscionable complete a period ago, and Mike’s is nan 2nd wide head opening. But nary 1 should beryllium amazed that nan Mystics are seemingly without guidance and successful a spot of disarray. The penning has been connected nan walls for rather immoderate time.

Mike famously led Washington to a title successful 2019 arsenic caput coach, but grounded to recapture immoderate of that magic successful nan pursuing 3 years — each of which saw nan squad decorativeness nether .500. When he retired from coaching successful 2022 and moved into nan beforehand office, Eric took over. Sadly, things did not improve. The Mystics vanished 19-21 successful 2023.

However, each dream wasn’t wholly lost. There was a perceived optimism that Washington could rebuild and onshore imaginable No. 1 Draft prime Paige Bueckers successful 2025. That meant committing to tanking nan 2024 season. It’s imaginable Mike and Eric mightiness person been connected committee pinch that plan, but nan Mystics vanished nan twelvemonth 14-26 (9th place) and ownership showed them nan door.

How does a disconnect betwixt activity and ownership happen? It originates pinch missteps, including straining nan narration pinch a franchise subordinate from nan region.

After a messy offseason ordeal pinch Elena Delle Donne, which resulted successful her sitting retired successful 2024, Washington needed personification to thief push nan squad forward. Drafting Aaliyah Edwards was a coagulated start, but Edwards wasn’t rather fresh for that pressure, and nan Mystics’ maddening rotations didn’t thief her create arsenic overmuch arsenic galore thought she would.

Relying connected different players for illustration Brittney Sykes and Shakira Austin didn’t cookware out, either.

Sykes, Austin and aggregate Mystics players were injured for a bully information of nan season, putting Washington successful a spread early. That should person signaled nan Thibaults to activity nan achromatic emblem and look towards nan 2025 draft. But past Washington went connected a chaotic run, pushing for nan postseason and seemingly playing itself correct retired of nan champion chance for a apical draught pick.

As of nan Thibaults’ exit,  Washington owns prime No. 4 successful adjacent year’s draft, conscionable extracurricular a slot that could onshore them Bueckers. It’s imaginable she still lands successful Washington, but nan franchise would request to inquire nan hoops gods to activity their magic during nan WNBA Draft Lottery connected November 17.

Moving connected from nan Thibaults is astir apt correct if Washington’s ownership feels nan rebuild is still connected and nan squad won’t beryllium bully successful 2026 aliases 2027. This would put nan franchise successful a premier position to onshore personification for illustration women’s assemblage hoops star JuJu Watkins, who could change nan organization’s cloth for nan better.

However, nan Mystics’ guidance is unclear, and removing nan franchise’s wide head and caput coach will not alteration that until everyone agrees connected which way to return moving forward.