The Wizards have hired Michael Longabardi as an assistant coach per Chase Hughes of NBC Washington. Longabardi has been praised for his defensive coaching skills, something the Wizards need much help with.
The Wizards struggled mightily defensively last season. They relied too much on their offense and simply hoped that they could outscore their opponents.
The Wizards were the fourth worst defensive team in the league last season with a defensive rating of 112.9. They were also the third worst team in defensive rebounding, allowing their opponents to get an offensive rebound 29.4 percent of the time.