Pistons to Hire Monty Williams as Coach

The Pistons are hiring former Suns coach Monty Williams to fill their own vacancy, per Shams Charania and James Edwards III of The Athletic.

Per Charania and Edwards, Williams will receive a six-year deal worth $72 million, with the deal expected to be official within the next several days.

Later, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that the deal will be worth $78.5 million, which would make him the highest-paid coach in NBA history.

Williams, 51, coached the Suns for four years but was fired after the season, which ended with a second-round playoff exit. Phoenix lost in six games to the Western Conference champion Nuggets.

Under Williams, the Suns compiled a 194-115 record, reaching the Finals in 2021, when they lost to the Bucks in six games. He also coached New Orleans for five years (2010-15), putting together a 173-221 record.

He will now have his work cut out for him with the Pistons, who finished last in the Eastern Conference with a 17-65 record. GM Troy Weaver already had a pool of candidates that reportedly included former UConn coach Kevin Ollie, Pelicans assistant Jarron Collins and Bucks assistant Charles Lee.

But that search seemed to focus on Williams as soon as he was let go in Phoenix.

Former Detroit coach Dwane Casey left the sideline to join Weaver in the front office following the season.