Report: Monty Williams 'More Likely' to Take 2023-24 Season Off; Owed $21M By Suns
Former NBA head coach Monty Williams is reportedly "more likely" to take next year off after the Phoenix Suns parted ways with him on May 13 after four seasons.
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported the news while noting the Detroit Pistons' interest as well as the parameters on Williams' 2022 contract extension, which has three years and $21 million left.
"Williams was also recently pursued by Detroit for the Pistons' job, sources said, which must have factored into a slowed result between Lee, Collins and Ollie. At this moment, it appears Williams is more likely to take the next season off, with three years and $21 million remaining on his Suns deal, than to return to the sidelines in a new situation."
Williams, 51, led the Suns to the 2021 NBA Finals as well as the league's best regular-season record (64-18) in 2021-22. Phoenix's Western Conference title was its first since 1993.
This year's Suns team fell in the second round of the playoffs in six games to the Denver Nuggets, who have since swept the Los Angeles Lakers to reach the NBA Finals.
Phoenix is under new leadership after Mat Ishbia became its new governor in February. Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Ishbia "never warmed to Williams as his coach" and quickly made the decision after the Suns' season ended to let him go.
Still, Williams' accomplishments in Phoenix can't go unnoticed. The Suns were two wins away from earning the franchise's first-ever NBA championship in 2021. Phoenix looked unstoppable at times the following year before Luka Dončić and the Dallas Mavericks upset the West champs in the second round.
This year's Suns team was shorthanded all year—Devin Booker missed 26 games, Chris Paul sat 23 and Deandre Ayton missed 15. Superstar forward Kevin Durant only played eight regular-season games after being traded to the team from the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 9.
In the playoffs, a groin strain knocked Paul out of the final four games of the Nuggets series.
Ultimately, Williams' tenure in Phoenix was clearly a success after he took over a team that hadn't won a championship in 10 years. If he takes time off next year, he should be a hot coaching candidate in 2024.
