Only a year after signing a then-record $78.5 million contract, head coach Monty Williams of the Detroit Pistons was fired, the team announced.
The franchise would absorb the remaining over $65 million on Williams’ contract, which had five years left and was the highest for a coach in NBA history at the time. This information was initially published by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, but it was picked up by many outlets as well.
The Pistons have been contacted by CNN to verify the specifics of the compensation.
In the statement released on Wednesday, Pistons owner Tom Gores said, “Decisions like these are difficult to make, and I want to thank Monty for his hard work and dedication.”
“During a season, a coach faces a lot of dynamic challenges, which Monty always handled with grace.” But going forward, we will set a new route after closely examining our work and evaluating where we are as a company,” he continued.
Gores continued, “As a coach and a person, I have the utmost regard for Monty, and I know he will succeed in all of his future pursuits. “I genuinely hope the best for him and his family.”
This previous season, Detroit finished with the lowest record in the league, 14-68. The Pistons ended their 28-game losing streak in December with a 129-127 victory over the Toronto Raptors, just missing becoming the team with the longest losing streak in NBA history.
The Pistons, who own the fifth choice in next week’s NBA Draft, were the third-youngest club in the league during the previous season.
As per the team announcement, Detroit has commenced its search for a new head coach immediately.
Prior to taking over as head coach of the Phoenix Suns, Williams led the team to the 2020–21 NBA Finals, where it was defeated by the Milwaukee Bucks in six games. In his four seasons in Arizona, Williams had a 194–115 record. Following the Suns’ 64 regular-season victories, he was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year for the 2021–22 campaign.
Days after the Suns were defeated by the eventual champion Denver Nuggets in the second round of the Western Conference Playoffs, he was fired in May 2023.
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