NBA Rumors: Monty Williams to Receive 'Significant' Contract Offer to Be Pistons' HC
The Detroit Pistons are reportedly expected to make a major play for Monty Williams to be their next head coach.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the Pistons are "seriously pursuing" Williams and "preparing a significant offer" in hopes of hiring him.
Williams was fired from his position as head coach of the Phoenix Suns following their second-round playoff loss to the Denver Nuggets earlier this month despite being named the NBA Coach of the Year last season.
In four seasons as head coach of the Suns after a previous five-year stint with the New Orleans Pelicans, Williams experienced a great deal of success.
Phoenix went 194-115 in the regular season during his tenure and reached the playoffs three times. That included a trip to the NBA Finals in 2021, which saw the Suns fall to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Suns posted an NBA-best 64-18 record the following season, only to fall in the second round of the playoffs. Their record dipped to 45-37 this season, but expectations remained high thanks to the trade-deadline acquisition of Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets.
Phoenix could not get it done despite a core of Durant, Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton, and Williams was ultimately the scapegoat for the team's playoff shortcomings.
After Williams was fired and the Philadelphia 76ers fired head coach Doc Rivers, Williams was reportedly a candidate in Philly's head coaching search, but the Sixers reportedly went with former Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse instead.
That leaves Williams with limited options in terms of going somewhere that gives him a legitimate chance to vie for a championship in 2023-24.
The Pistons have a long way to go when it comes to contending, as they have missed the playoffs in four consecutive seasons and went just 17-65 this season, which was their worst mark since 1979-80.
Detroit hoped to parlay that poor season into the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft, but the San Antonio Spurs won the draft lottery and the chance to select French basketball phenom Victor Wembanyama.
The Pistons will pick No. 5 overall, and while they won't get Wembanyama, they should still land a great, young building block, which could appeal to Williams.
Also potentially appealing to Williams is the presence of 2021 No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham, 2022 No. 5 overall pick Jaden Ivey and 2022 No. 13 overall pick Jalen Duren on the roster.
Cunningham missed all but 12 games this season due to injury, and it is fair to say Detroit would have been much better than a 17-win team with him healthy.
Williams would have to deal with some growing pains and do plenty of developing in Detroit, but the potential for greatness is there with a talented, young core.
His decision on whether to take the job may come down to whether he wants to help build the Pistons from the ground up, or if he would rather take a job with a more established team when an opportunity opens up.
