NBA Rumors: 'Pistons May Not Have Abandoned All Hope' Monty Williams Could Become HC
Former New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams has reportedly taken a "pass on what league sources have described to me as a big-money offer" from the Detroit Pistons, according to NBA reporter Marc Stein.
But he added that "it has also been suggested to me that the Pistons may not have abandoned all hope that Williams could reconsider."
Williams, 51, spent nine seasons in the NBA as a player, averaging 6.3 points per game, before transitioning into a role as a coach.
He's compiled a 367-336 record in nine seasons as a head coach, leading his team to the playoffs five times and the Suns to the NBA Finals in the 2020-21 campaign.
He was one of several high-profile head coaches to get fired this past season, joining Milwaukee's Mike Budenholzer, Philadelphia's Doc Rivers and Toronto's Nick Nurse.
If Williams is out, however, former NBA player and UConn head coach Kevin Ollie has "by all accounts has been pushed for the post by Pistons general Troy Weaver," according to Stein.
Ollie, 50, has never coached in the NBA but spent six seasons with the Huskies, leading the team to a 127-79 record, two NCAA tournament appearances and a national championship in the 2013-14 season.
He's worked as a head coach in the Overtime Elite since 2021.
Stein added that former Milwaukee Bucks associate head coach Charles Lee is also "said to have support in other corners of the organization" for the head-coaching gig.
Lee, 38, has had stints as an assistant for the Atlanta Hawks (2014-15 to 2017-18) and Bucks (2018-19 to 2022-23).
As for the Pistons, the chance to work with an exciting young core led by Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Killian Hayes, Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Duren, James Wiseman and this year's No. 5 overall pick will be enticing for any coach who doesn't mind a developmental project.
The Pistons have the makings of a talented young group, though one that will need a few seasons to grow before it is ready to compete at a postseason level.
