Monty Williams fired by Detroit Pistons after one year with $65m left on deal
The Detroit Pistons have fired coach Monty Williams after just one season, a person with knowledge of the decision told the Associated Press on Wednesday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team had not made an announcement. ESPN first reported the dismissal.
The Pistons were an NBA-worst 14-68 last season, the first in a six-year, $78.5 million contract for Williams — a contract that at the time was the richest ever given to an NBA coach. The team began rebuilding its front office at the end of the season, one that led to the hiring of Trajan Langdon as president of basketball operations, the departure of general manager Troy Weaver and now a vacancy at head coach.
The shooting continues a wildly strange run for Williams. In 2021, he coached the Suns to the NBA Finals, where Phoenix led 2-0 before falling to Milwaukee in six games. In 2022, he became the NBA coach of the year in a runaway vote. In 2023, the Suns fired him and now in 2024, the Pistons have done the same.
The record for the total value of a coaching contract has since been eclipsed; Miami gave Erik Spoelstra an eight-year extension worth $120 million earlier this year.
Regardless, this season was a disaster for the Pistons. They started 2-1 and then didn’t win another game for two months.
A 28-game losing streak, the longest ever in a single season in NBA history and the longest tie ever when you take multiple seasons into account, turned the season into a debacle. The Pistons’ longest winning streak was two games (made three times) and the roster was constantly in flux. Detroit used 31 different players and 36 different starting lineups over the course of the season and lost by double digits 39 times.
The vacancy in Detroit is the third active in the NBA, with Cleveland and the Los Angeles Lakers also still looking for coaches. The Pistons’ move comes a week before the start of the NBA draft, with Detroit set to select the fifth overall pick on June 26 — someone who should be able to complement a young core led by Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey and further strengthen Jalen Duren.
These players, all 22 or younger, were the only three Pistons to start at least 60 games last season.