Monty Williams Fired by Pelicans: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

The New Orleans Pelicans fired head coach Monty Williams on Tuesday. The team was swept by the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the NBA playoffs after posting a 45-37 record during the regular season.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports broke the news:

The decision was confirmed by the team's official site, and a statement from Pelicans owner Tom Benson was included in the announcement:

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I have the utmost respect for Monty Williams, not only as a coach but as a person. He represented our team, our organization and our city with tremendous class and dignity. Gayle and I grew very fond of Monty and his wife Ingrid and of course their five beautiful children. We wish him nothing but the best moving forward.

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Williams weighed in on the decision, via WDSU News:

Pelicans guard Quincy Pondexter reacted to the news:

Wojnarowski noted that general manager Dell Demps "pushed out" Williams as the coaching staff lost support from management.      

Ken Berger of CBS Sports provided more information on who may have been behind the decision:

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But league sources pointed out Tuesday that the people whose names were on the press release may not be the ones making the decision. Former Pistons executive Joe Dumars, a Louisiana native, has been providing input with the team and has a close relationship with Loomis and owner Tom Benson.

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ESPN's Marc Stein added more details:

Williams posted a 173-221 record (.439 win percentage) across five seasons with the organization. He helped lead a young team through the rebuilding process and guided the group to the eighth seed in the tougher Western Conference this season.   

It's a surprising decision given the amount of progress the team had shown. Apparently, the 11-game improvement and postseason appearance wasn't enough in the minds of the front office.

Williams, who spent a decade in the NBA as a small forward, previously served on the coaching staff of the Portland Trail Blazers before heading to New Orleans.

Bill Baptist/Getty Images

Looking ahead, he should be able to land another coaching job elsewhere without much problem. The question is whether it will be another head position or if he'll have to return to the assistant ranks for the time being.

The Pelicans' job should be an attractive one. That's mostly due to the presence of Anthony Davis, one of the league's best young players. Upgrades elsewhere on the roster are still needed if they want to accomplish more than they did this season, regardless of who's hired to coach the team.

After a short period of review, New Orleans' front office decided Williams wasn't the best option for that position moving forward.