The Detroit Pistons are heavily pursuing Monty Williams to be their next head coach, according to NBA insiders Shams Charania and James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.
The Pistons are prepared to pay Williams around $10 million a year.
“The Pistons are preparing to offer Williams in the range of $10 million per year, league sources said, which would put him among the league’s highest-paid coaches,” Charania and Edwards III wrote. “Detroit has been hopeful over the past several weeks that Williams would consider accepting the job, sources added.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Monty Williams, Phoenix Suns & Detroit Pistons Updates
The Phoenix Suns fired Williams after losing to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals. Williams is the NBA’s winningest coach since 2021. He led the Suns to the NBA Finals in 2021 and won the Coach of the Year Award in 2022.
“Initially, Williams told teams — including the Pistons — that he was interested in taking a year off. The 51-year-old, who led the Suns to the NBA Finals in 2021 and won Coach of the Year in 2022, is still owed, roughly, $21 million over the next three years by Phoenix,” Charania and Edwards III wrote. “However, Weaver, Pistons owner Tom Gores and others in Detroit’s organization have continued to pursue Williams.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Monty Williams, Phoenix Suns & Detroit Pistons Updates
The Pistons won only 17 games this season. They have the fifth overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Williams has experience taking young teams to the next level, which is why Detroit is interested in hiring him.
“The Pistons are a rebuilding team with young, foundational pieces in 2021 No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart,” Charania and Edwards III wrote. “Given where Detroit is in its process, the next coach is going to play a big part in the historic franchise returning to relevancy or a reason the rebuild doesn’t get off the ground. For the Pistons, identifying the coach who can provide leadership and experience for a young roster is important.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Monty Williams, Phoenix Suns & Detroit Pistons Updates
If Williams doesn’t take the Detroit job, the Pistons will likely pivot to Milwaukee Bucks associate head coach Charles Lee.
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