Report: Pistons Hiring Former Suns Coach Monty Williams
It didn't take former Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams long to find a new spot.
The Athletic's NBA insider Shams Charania is reporting Williams and the Detroit Pistons have reached an agreement for Williams to become the franchise's next head coach. The reported deal is a six-year, $72 million deal that will make him one of the highest-paid coaches in the league.
The Suns relieved Williams of his duties following another loss in the second round of the NBA postseason, both this and last season having their season collapse to a brutal ending on their home court. New owner Mat Ishbia wanted change, and Williams was part of that process.
He was due roughly $21 million from Phoenix over the next three years. The Suns have yet to find his replacement.
Many believed Williams might have stuck around, however. He arrived in 2019 and helped take basketball in the Valley to new heights, which included a trip to the 2021 NBA Finals followed by a franchise-record 64 wins the following regular season.
However, change was needed in Phoenix. The Suns simply felt as if they hit their ceiling with Williams' guidance, and now he arrives to a Pistons squad with plenty of young talent to work with. Williams has often been criticized for his x's and o's on top of rotational management, but his ability to establish a culture and lead a basketball team can't be replicated.
Detroit now welcomes the 2022 NBA Coach of the Year after reports first suggested Williams could take the following season off. The Pistons were rumored to have thrown big money at the ex-Suns coach, which obviously was enough to ensure he was on the sideline for 2023 and beyond in the Motor City.
All the best wishes for Williams in his next stop in Detroit.
