Flip Saunders was fired as coach of the NBA Washington Wizards on Tuesday, one night after the team fell to a league-worst 2-15 with a 103-83 loss at Philadelphia, the NBA reported on its website.

Assistant coach Randy Wittman was named to take over as interim coach for the Wizards, whose next game is at home on Wednesday against Charlotte (3-14).

Saunders, who went 51-130 in more than two seasons guiding the Wizards, has been sent packing in the third year of a four-year contract that paid him $US4 million ($A3.8 million) a season. He replaced Eddie Jordan, fired in 2009 after a 19-63 campaign.

The Wizards won the NBA Draft Lottery in 2010 and selected John Wall with the top pick in the draft.

But the young playmaker has not been enough to reverse the fortunes of the Wizards, who began the season with a franchise-worst 0-8 start and lost seven of eight games since snapping that drought, the lone triumph a home upset of NBA leader Oklahoma City.

Washington ranks next-to-last in the league in shooting accuracy and assists.