Report: Pistons expected to offer Monty Williams massive contract

Former Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams is expected to receive a massive contract offer to lead the Detroit Pistons, reports The Athletic’s Shams Charania and James Edwards III.

The deal would come “in the range of $10 million per year,” Charania adds.

Detroit, which lost Dwane Casey after he stepped down and moved to the front office following a 17-65 season, believes Williams has an interest in the job after the Suns fired him at the end of the past season. If not, Charania reports that former Milwaukee Bucks assistant Charles Lee is “expected to emerge as the likely choice.”

Williams was also linked to the Milwaukee opening but indicated he would heavily consider taking a year off from work as the Suns still owe him about $21 million for the next three seasons, Charania reports.

With the Pistons, he would coach a young core that includes 2021 first-overall draft pick Cade Cunningham, plus guard Jaden Ivey and big men Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart.

Detroit also has the No. 5 overall pick in June.

Williams went 194-115 (.628) in four seasons with Phoenix.

In his first season, the Suns made strides improving to 34 wins from 19 the season prior. Williams was with the Suns in the 2020 NBA Bubble, which included an 8-0 run that would set the tone for the next two seasons.

The Suns narrowly missed the playoff bubble in that COVID-shortened 2019-20 season before going to the NBA Finals in 2021 and losing in the conference semifinals the past two years.

Williams agreed to a multi-year extension with the Suns in July 2022, when the team was under former owner Robert Sarver. He was fired under the ownership of Mat Ishbia.

Taking over as head coach of the Suns prior to the 2019-20 NBA season, Phoenix saw improvement in every season under the leadership of Williams before 2022-23.

After leading the Suns to an NBA-best 64-18 record in 2022-23, Williams was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year. He’s also received the Coach of the Year award from the National Basketball Coaches Association in consecutive seasons.

This story was first published by Sactown Sports‘ sister station, Arizona Sports. Thank you for reading sactownsports.com. Follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.