Monty Williams to coach Pistons on record 6-year, $78.5M deal
Written by quietmoneyradio_admin on June 2, 2023
Williams, who was named NBA Coach of the Year in May 2022, was 194-115 (.628) in the regular season and 27-19 in the playoffs for Phoenix. The Suns won a franchise-record 64 games in 2021-22 and reached the NBA Finals in 2021.
In Detroit, Williams will replace Dwane Casey, who stepped down as the Pistons’ coach in April to move into a front-office role.
Casey had coached Detroit since 2018, but in five seasons the team went 121-263 (.315). Detroit made the playoffs once during his tenure, in 2018-19, but was swept in the first round.
The Pistons have gone seven straight campaigns without finishing over .500. Their last winning season was in 2015-16.
Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, selected No. 5 and No. 13, respectively, in the 2022 NBA draft, did provide hope for the future with their play last season for Detroit. Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 pick overall in 2021, had his second season stunted by shin surgery after playing in only 12 games.
Bojan Bogdanovic, who averaged a career-high 21.6 points per game, Isaiah Stewart, James Wiseman and Marvin Bagley are expected to be back.
The Pistons hold the No. 5 overall pick in June’s NBA draft.
