Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced Monday that the team has picked up the option on the contract of Head Coach Eddie Jordan, keeping him under contract through the 2009-10 season. Per team policy, financial terms of the contract were not released.
“Eddie has done an outstanding job and has been instrumental in making us a perennial playoff team, so we are pleased to reward that success by picking up the option on his contract,” said Grunfeld. “We are very excited about the upcoming season and feel that this team is ready to progress to another level under Eddie’s leadership.”
Jordan has compiled an overall record of 196-214 (.478) in five seasons as head coach of the Wizards and is currently the third-longest tenured head coach in the NBA behind Jerry Sloan (Utah Jazz) and Gregg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs). He has led the team to the playoffs the last four seasons — the Wizards and Detroit are the only Eastern Conference team to do so — compiling a 171-157 (.521) mark during that span.
Jordan and the Wizards open training camp Saturday at the Siegel Center in Richmond.
Team sign three forwards » Grunfeld also announced that the team has signed free agent forwards DerMarr Johnson, Linton Johnson and Taj McCullough. Per team policy, terms of the contracts were not released.
“DerMarr’s experience and versatility, Linton’s athleticism and defensive ability and Taj’s play with our summer league team gives them a chance to compete for a roster spot,” said Grunfeld. “We’re looking forward to training camp as an opportunity to evaluate how they might fit into the mix at the small forward position.”
