After just one season with the Detroit Pistons, Monty Williams was let go by the organization that had awarded him the biggest coaching contract in NBA history.
On June 19, the group made its decision public.
In a written statement, Pistons owner Tom Gores stated, “Decisions like these are difficult to make, and I want to thank Monty for his hard work and dedication.” “During a season, a coach faces a lot of dynamic challenges, which Monty always handled with grace.” But going forward, we will set a new route after closely examining our performance and evaluating where we stand as a company.
“As a coach and a person, I have the utmost regard for Monty, and I know he will be
In June 2023, Williams agreed to take on the head coaching position with the Pistons for a reported six-year, $78.5 million contract. The agreement was the largest coaching deal in NBA history.
Williams won NBA Coach of the Year in 2022 as head coach of the Phoenix Suns. A year after winning the award, he was fired by the Suns after they were eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals. He had a winning record as a head coach with a total of 194 wins against 115 losses (.628) in regular season games. His playoff record for the Suns stands at 27-19. The team made it to the NBA Finals in 2021 and won a franchise-record 64 games in 2021-22.
Williams played his collegiate career at Notre Dame from 1989 to 1994 before becoming the New York Knicks’ 24th NBA first-draft pick in 1994. He played for the Knicks, the San Antonio Spurs, the Denver Nuggets, the Orlando Magic, and the Philadelphia 76ers during his NBA career.
