Wizards finalizing deal to hire James Posey as asst. coach

Washington Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. is adding a contemporary to his staff.

NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Friday that the Wizards are finalizing a deal to hire former NBA player James Posey as an assistant coach. Posey will be entering his sixth season as an NBA assistant after spending last year as an assistant for Virginia women’s basketball.

Now 45 years old, Posey played in the NBA for 12 years. After being drafted in the first round by the Denver Nuggets in 1999, Posey went on to become a key role player on two championship teams — the 2006 Miami Heat and the 2008 Boston Celtics. He then served as an assistant coach on the Cleveland Cavaliers after retiring, winning another NBA title with them in 2016.

Expectations are not all that high for the Wizards after they went 35-47 last season. But the addition of Posey may be a feather in their cap as they look to potentially pursue this star who once played against Posey.