Monty Williams, who will take over as the Suns’ new head coach when the Sixers’ playoff run ends, rejected an offer from the Lakers before accepting the job in Phoenix, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Tyronn Lue made headlines on Wednesday when he turned down the Lakers’ offer and pulled his name out of consideration, but this is the first time we’ve heard that Williams was also offered the job. Lue was upset that the offer only covered three years, which is the same contract length that Frank Vogel accepted and presumably is what was offered to Williams. He received a five-year commitment from the Suns.
Williams was among the first round of candidates to interview for the Lakers’ vacancy, along with Lue, Heat assistant Juwan Howard and newly hired Lakers assistant Jason Kidd. Several members of L.A.’s front office traveled to Philadelphia to meet with Williams on April 25, less than two weeks after firing Luke Walton.
Williams’ ability to receive two head coaching offers in his first season back on the sidelines speaks to his reputation around the league. He spent two years out of the NBA following his wife’s death before returning as an assistant with the Sixers.
quality of life with a decent suns rebuild .vs lebrons toxicity
duh
Wrong. Its all about 1 thing. Money. PHX gave him 5 years. Lakers did not. But sure keep trying to spin things
LBJ hate is Real…..
They don’t understand KS’s comment was about discouraging players and the Lakers youth, so that he could catch LBJ as the best player. Despite every ex teammate not named Isaiah Thomas saying it wasn’t true…. smh
Who pray tell is KS?
When someone chooses the Suns over you, that’s when you know things are bad.
5 yr offer from the Suns. 3 yr offer from the Lakers……. that’d be a lot of $ to turn down. This has a lot more to do with economics, than the toxic narrative.
Everyone wants to spin this as he turned down the offer because of the drama with the Lakers and LeBron being toxic…for those that are spinning this narrative go ahead and quit your jobs and go work for less somewhere else and then come talk to me
The Lakers are starting to remind me of dare I say……the Knicks. Kidd is toxic.
5 is better than 3. Monty is a smart man. I am sure the Lakers issues did influence him as well.
Factor in the values that Williams has and understanding his decision is easy.
Look, five years is the standard for an experienced or quality coach to get. Three is ridiculous, it’s cheap and ma and pop’ish. No good coach not desperate for a job is going to accept three, and with Monty being more than comfortable in Philly as an assistant, he wasn’t going to take less than five.