Pistons Coach’s Former Team Makes Another Major Change

One year after firing Monty Williams, the Phoenix Suns are on the hunt for another head coach.

Apr 5, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Detroit Pistons head coach Monty Williams reacts during the | Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, the Detroit Pistons opened their coaching search with the idea of potentially hiring Monty Williams. As his time with the Phoenix Suns concluded after they finished 45-37, losing in the second round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, the Pistons were willing to make an offer he couldn’t refuse

When the Pistons took advantage of the Suns’ decision to cut Williams loose, Phoenix replaced him with former Los Angeles Lakers head coach, Frank Vogel.

One year later, Vogel finds himself back on the free agency market. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Suns have parted ways with Vogel.

Phoenix finished in the Western Conference’s sixth place this season, holding a 49-33 record. They went head-to-head with the Minnesota Timberwolves in round one.

After failing to collect a single win against the Wolves in the playoffs, the Suns found themselves swept out of the first round. They decided shortly after that Vogel was not the answer.

Phoenix is already moving quickly with its next hire. According to Wojnarowski, former Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer is the favorite to replace Vogel. Budenholzer was recently considered a candidate for the Brooklyn Nets.

The Suns are struggling to live up to expectations after they found moderate success during Williams’ tenure. Although they missed the playoffs in 2019-2020, which marked Williams’ first season as the head coach, the Suns made a run to the NBA Finals in 2021.

Since then, the Suns struggled to make it past the second round. And even after making a coaching change, and adding more star talent through the trade market, the Suns couldn’t get it to click in the post-Williams era.