Suns: Extending Monty Williams Was No-Brainer
The Phoenix Suns have quickly found themselves as one of the top teams in the NBA after years of basketball that found only the Gorilla and media members in seats, watching the likes of Alex Len, Josh Jackson and Kendall Marshall suit up night in and night out in the Valley.
Phoenix has undoubtedly upgraded their roster, with pieces such as Chris Paul and Devin Booker leading the charge among plenty of other solid players.
However, a large part of the change in culture surrounding the Suns can be attributed to coach Monty Williams.
Williams initially took over in May of 2019, where shortly after he would lead the Suns to an incredible 8-0 record in the league's COVID bubble.
The following year with Paul now running the point, the Suns would be led to a 51-21 record, their largest win total since the 2009-10 season. Williams would help propel Phoenix to a magical postseason run which ended with their third appearance in the NBA Finals.
2021 saw perhaps the most fine-tuned Suns team in recent memory, as Williams led Phoenix to a franchise record 64 wins in the regular season.
The NBA recognized Williams by awarding him the 2021-22 Coach of the Year award.
Williams, alongside general manager James Jones, have helped construct and mold a competitive roster that has captured the attention of the entire state of Arizona in the last two years.
Perhaps Williams' biggest input in his second stint as a head coach as been the shift in culture within the Suns' locker room.
It was at this moment when Phoenix (and their fans) knew something special was potentially brewing.
Now, years down the road, Williams is a highly respected leader of men. Not only is Phoenix a desirable location thanks to their roster and improved success, but also the presence of a true head coach.
That was evident by potential trade target Kevin Durant, who he played under while Williams was with Oklahoma City.
He offered this to say on Williams back in 2019 (credit to the Arizona Republic):
“He’s a leader and a teacher. I’m excited he’s back into coaching and walking those sidelines again," said Durant.
"I got to know the type of man he was. His coaching style is what it is because of the stuff he’s been through as a person and how he looks at life in general.
“He knows how to talk to people, for one. He knows how to communicate and he’s honest. That’s lacking in our world in general. It’s just truth. Especially when you’re talking to him on the basketball court, you have a group of guys that will get better. He has a young core that is hungry to get better and is hungry to have some success.”
There's no denying Williams has his faults. The lack of adjustments down the stretch of their series with the Dallas Mavericks was on display for the entire basketball world to see.
The importance of putting their fingers on the Larry O'Brien trophy while they still have a capable roster also shouldn't be lost in Williams' praise, and while he's not the one missing shots or assignments, the blame ultimately falls on his shoulders first. That's the reality as a head coach in this league.
Yet the ability to win the NBA Finals is one of the toughest achievements in all of sports, making repeat winners such as Golden State truly special to witness.
Expectations for the Suns moving forward are nothing less than a championship, and that's exactly why extending Williams to a long-term deal was a no-brainer.
Very rarely do you find a person as impactful as Williams; one who can help assemble talent and maximize it on the court while molding everybody around him away from the lights.
Williams has given Suns fans a great product to rally behind in recent memory while also giving Phoenix a sense of pride that their head coach is truly a great person.
The results have already been great with Williams at the helm, and while Suns fans hope the best has yet to come, there's no doubting the recent extension is nothing short of well-deserved.
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