Just a little a couple of 12 months in the past, the Detroit Pistons made Monty Williams the richest head coach in NBA historical past, inking him to a six-year deal price $78.5 million – right now, they’re on the lookout for another person to take over.
After going an NBA-worst 14-68, which included a document 28-game dropping streak, the Pistons fired Williams on Wednesday.
Head teaching contracts are assured, which implies Williams remains to be owed $65 million over the following 5 seasons.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Detroit Pistons head coach Monty Williams coaches in opposition to the Knicks at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York on Feb. 26, 2024. (Brad Penner-USA In the present day Sports activities)
“Choices like these are tough to make, and I need to thank Monty for his laborious work and dedication,” Pistons proprietor Tom Gores mentioned in a press release. “Teaching has many dynamic challenges that emerge throughout a season and Monty all the time dealt with these with grace. Nevertheless, after reviewing our efficiency rigorously and assessing our present place as a corporation, we are going to chart a brand new course transferring ahead.”
“We’re unwavering in our dedication to deliver a championship-caliber staff to Detroit,” Gores continued. “We will probably be diligent and swift in our seek for a brand new head coach to steer our thrilling younger core of gamers and can proceed our imaginative and prescient in direction of constructing a best-in-class entrance workplace that may assist us obtain sustainable success.”
It was the second 12 months in a row the Pistons owned the affiliation’s worst document – they went 17-65 final 12 months. To make issues worse, the Draft Lottery didn’t work out of their favor this 12 months or final. They obtained the fifth choice in 2023, lacking out on the generational Victor Wembanyama, and they’re going to once more choose fifth later this month.
Pistons head coach Monty Williams watches from the sideline in the course of the Dallas Mavericks sport, March 9, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Picture/Carlos Osorio)
EX-NFL STAR SAYS HE HASN’T SEEN CAITLIN CLARK’S TREATMENT SINCE LEBRON JAMES
It has been a wild experience for Williams lately, who headed to Detroit after going to the NBA Finals with the Phoenix Suns in 2021 and successful the NBA’s Coach of the 12 months Award the next 12 months, however he was then canned in 2023.
Coupled with their dropping streak, the Pistons by no means received three video games in a row this season (or final), and the roster was continually in flux. Detroit used 31 totally different gamers over the course of the season and 36 totally different beginning lineups and misplaced 39 instances by double digits.
Head coach Monty Williams of the Pistons talks with Jaden Ivey and Isaiah Stewart in the course of the sport in opposition to the Utah Jazz on Dec. 21, 2023, at Little Caesars Area in Detroit. (Chris Schwegler/NBAE through Getty Photographs)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The emptiness in Detroit is the third lively one within the NBA, with Cleveland and the Los Angeles Lakers nonetheless searching for coaches.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
Comply with Fox Information Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox Information Sports activities Huddle e-newsletter.
