Monty Williams to coach Pistons, agrees to record 6-year/$78.5M deal

Coach Monty Williams has agreed to a six-year, $78.5 million contract with the Detroit Pistons. It is the largest coaching deal in NBA history.

Williams, 51, was fired by the Phoenix Suns earlier in May after four seasons as their coach. The move came after the Suns were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals.

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, 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.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

By https://www.espn.com/