Monty Williams Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Monty Williams Agrees To Become Top Sixers Assistant

June 4th, 2018 at 7:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Monty Williams has reached an agreement with the Sixers to become Brett Brown’s top assistant, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.

Williams emerged last week as a candidate to join Brown’s staff. He’ll replace Lloyd Pierce, who was named the Hawks’ head coach. Brown agreed to a three-year extension with the Sixers last week.

Williams will be leaving his position as the Spurs’ vice president of basketball operations. He spent five seasons as a head coach with the Pelicans, compiling a 173-221 record and reaching the playoffs twice, and wanted to return to coaching.

Williams served as associate head coach with the Thunder during the 2015/16 season before the Spurs hired him.

Monty Williams May Join Sixers’ Staff

May 30th, 2018 at 7:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Spurs executive Monty Williams is talking to Sixers head coach Brett Brown about a possible lead assistant role, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Currently the vice president of basketball operations in San Antonio, Williams spent five seasons as a head coach in New Orleans, compiling a 173-221 record and reaching the playoffs twice. He has been looking for an opportunity to return to coaching, Wojnarowski adds.

Williams served as associate head coach in Oklahoma City during the 2015/16 season before landing the job with the Spurs. He also spent five years as an assistant with the Trail Blazers.

Coaching Rumors: Raptors, Casey, Bucks, Knicks

May 11th, 2018 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

As we relayed in our story on Dwane Casey‘s firing earlier today, it didn’t take long for one outside candidate to be linked to the Raptors‘ head coaching job, with Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski both reporting that Mike Budenholzer is a name to watch.

Budenholzer’s name continues to surface in relation to the Raptors’ newly-opened coaching position. Sources confirmed to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link) that Toronto is expected to pursue Budenholzer, while Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link) hears from coaching sources that Raptors president Masai Ujiri has “strong interest” in the former Hawks head coach.

As we wait to see if Budenholzer emerges as the favorite for the Raptors’ job, let’s round up more coaching rumors and notes from around the NBA…

According to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link), Casey – who had one year left on his contract – sought an extension from the Raptors before he was let go. Zillgitt speculates that stance may have forced Ujiri’s hand.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link) and Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel provide updates on the Bucks‘ coaching search, writing that the first round of interviews should wrap up this week. Milwaukee has interviewed Ettore Messina, Steve Clifford, Mike Budenholzer, Monty Williams, and Joe Prunty so far, and still has meetings lined up with David Blatt and Becky Hammon. GM Jon Horst figures to narrow the team’s list to three or four finalists, at which point team ownership will get involved in the process.
A source tells Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press that Jerry Stackhouse “interviews well” for coaching jobs, but “does rub some people the wrong way.” Stackhouse entered the offseason as a popular rising head coaching candidate, but has yet to gain traction for any open jobs. In fact, despite a mid-April report indicating Stackhouse would meet with the Magic, that interview has yet to happen, per Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel.
New Knicks head coach David Fizdale is expected to hire Nick Van Exel to join his staff in New York, sources tell Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Like Keith Smart, who is also reportedly set to join the Knicks, Van Exel was on Fizdale’s staff in Memphis.

Rick Carlisle Denies Interest In Bucks’ Job

May 9th, 2018 at 10:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle issued a statement to the media denying that he’s a candidate for the head coaching vacancy in Milwaukee, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times.

“Rumors that I have interest in the Milwaukee Bucks’ job are completely inaccurate,” he wrote. “I work for Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks.”

Carlisle is responding to a report from Gery Woelfel this week suggesting that the Mavs coach might have interest in coaching the Bucks, Stein adds (Twitter link). Woelfel identified Mike Budenholzer and Monty Williams as the top two candidates for the job.

Carlisle just completed the first year of a five-year extension in Dallas that runs through the 2021/22 season. He has a 437-367 record in 10 seasons with the Mavericks.

Bucks Line Up Coaching Interviews For This Week

May 7th, 2018 at 1:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks have a busy week of head coaching interviews ahead of them, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that the team will meet with Steve Clifford today after sitting down with Ettore Messina on Saturday.

In addition to today’s meeting with Clifford, the Bucks also have interviews lined up this week with Mike Budenholzer, Monty Williams, Becky Hammon, James Borrego, and David Blatt, per Wojnarowski. All of those interviewees had been previously named as potential candidates for the Milwaukee job, with Budenholzer and Williams viewed as possible favorites.

Assuming all those interviews take place this week as planned, the Bucks’ list of completed meetings would be up to at least seven. A recent report indicated that interim coach Joe Prunty would also get to interview for the permanent job, though it’s not clear if that meeting has already taken place or if he’ll sit down with Bucks management later in the process.

Wojnarowski said last week that the Bucks may interview up to about 10 candidates for their head coaching position, so it’s possible that one or two other contenders could join the fray. Jim Cleamons reportedly spoke informally to the club about the job, making him one candidate for a more formal interview.

Mike Budenholzer, Monty Williams Favorites For Bucks Job?

May 5th, 2018 at 2:00pm CST by clarkcrum

According to Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times, former Hawks’ head coach Mike Budenholzer and Spurs’ vice president of basketball operations Monty Williams appear to be the favorites for the Bucks‘ head coaching job, according to league sources.

We’ve noted the Bucks’ interest in Budenholzer several different times in the recent past, and we just relayed yesterday the team’s plan to interview Williams, so the report isn’t altogether surprising. However, it’s interesting to see that some NBA sources view Budenholzer and Williams as higher on Milwaukee’s wish list than other previously named candidates such as Steve Clifford or David Blatt.

Budenholzer, 48, was the head coach of the Hawks for five seasons from 2013 to 2018, while Williams, 46, last coached for the Thunder during the 2015/16 season after being the head man in New Orleans for five seasons from 2010 to 2015.

Other candidates for the Bucks’ head coaching vacancy include Spurs’ assistants Ettore Messina, Becky Hammon, and James Borrego, as well as interim coach Joe Prunty.

Keep up with all the latest coaching developments with our 2018 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker.

Bucks To Interview Messina, Clifford, Williams

May 4th, 2018 at 10:32am CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks’ head coaching search is underway, as the team is scheduled to meet with Spurs assistant Ettore Messina, former Hornets head coach Steve Clifford, and former Pelicans head coach Monty Williams within the next several days, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Clifford and Williams were identified as part of Milwaukee’s initial group of candidates on Thursday, as was David Blatt, who also intends to meet with the Bucks about their head coaching vacancy, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post (Twitter link).

It’s not clear if and when the Bucks will interview Mike Budenholzer, the other name mentioned on Thursday, but Wojnarowski suggests that the club may meet with as many as 10 candidates. That would put them about in line with the Knicks and Suns, the two teams so far who have filled their head coaching openings after conducting full-fledged searches. New York reportedly interviewed 11 candidates, while Phoenix met with 10.

Messina and Clifford have both received consideration for other head coaching jobs this offseason. Messina met with the Hornets, whose search is ongoing, while Clifford talked to the Suns before they hired Igor Kokoskov.

This will be the first reported interview this spring for Williams, who was identified as a possible frontrunner for the Milwaukee job way back in January. Having served as the Spurs’ vice president of basketball operations since 2016, Williams last coached as an assistant for the Thunder in 2015/16. He took a leave of absence from that position when his wife Ingrid was killed in a car crash, and hasn’t returned to coaching since.

Names Emerge In Bucks’ Coaching Search

May 3rd, 2018 at 8:41am CST by Arthur Hill

A few early candidates have been identified as the Bucks begin their search for a new head coach, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

He names five former head coaches — Steve Clifford, Mike Budenholzer, Monty Williams, David Fizdale and David Blatt — that Milwaukee would like to interview, adding that a few more could be in the mix.

Because they made the playoffs, the Bucks got a late start in their pursuit of a new coach and are facing competition for several names on the list. Fizdale, considered one of the finalists for the Knicks’ job, has an interview scheduled with the Magic this week. He has also interviewed with the the Hornets and Hawks, as well as the Suns, who will fill their vacancy with Igor Kokoskov.

Budenholzer, who recently parted ways with the Hawks, is also believed to be a Knicks finalist, along with Blatt, who coached the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in 2015. Budenholzer inteviewed for the Suns’ job, as did Clifford, who was fired as head coach of the Hornets after the season ended. Williams, a former head coach with the Pelicans, serves as VP of basketball operations for the Spurs.

The Bucks may be the most desirable destination for potential coaches, boasting a playoff-caliber roster that includes MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo. Interim coach Joe Prunty, who led the team to a 21-16 record after taking over for Jason Kidd at midseason, will get consideration, but the franchise may be hoping to attract a bigger name to make a splash as it moves into a new arena this fall.

Stein’s Latest: Pistons, Knicks, Bucks, Magic, Suns

March 20th, 2018 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, Marc Stein of The New York Times reported that the Pistons have expressed interest in Chauncey Billups for a potential front office role, with an eye on possibly pairing him with Arn Tellem in their basketball operations department. The report quickly drew responses from multiple sides — Billups stated that he would “never push for a job with any NBA franchise that is not open,” while a Pistons ownership spokesman simply called the report “false.”

Rod Beard of The Detroit News (Twitter link) also hears from a source that there’s “nothing whatsoever” to the idea of a Billups/Tellem team-up in the Pistons’ front office, but Stein doubled down on the report in his latest newsletter for The New York Times, citing league sources who say that Detroit has “great interest” in hiring Billups. According to Stein, the Pistons believe they have a real shot to convince Billups to leave his TV job for an executive role.

Stein’s newsletter includes a few more tidbits on coaching and front office situations around the NBA. Let’s dive in and round up the highlights…

There’s a growing belief that Knicks GM Scott Perry will want to hire his own hand-picked head coach at season’s end, says Stein. According to Stein, if the club replaces Jeff Hornacek and makes a high-profile hire, Mark Jackson and David Blatt would be among the candidates to watch.
With a move to a new arena around the corner, the Bucks may want to make a big splash with their next head coaching hire. League sources tell Stein that Jeff Van Gundy and Kevin McHale are among the names on the Bucks’ list of potential candidates, while Monty Williams and David Fizdale have also been mentioned. Rick Pitino could even get an “exploratory look,” says Stein.
There’s a “widely held assumption” in coaching circles that the Magic will replace Frank Vogel, according to Stein, who identifies Nick Nurse, Rex Kalamian, and Jerry Stackhouse as possible targets for Orlando. All three of those coaches are in the Raptors organization, which is where Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman previously worked.
While Jay Triano will receive an interview as part of the Suns‘ head coaching search, Stein is hearing buzz that Triano is more likely to be asked to stay on as an assistant. Phoenix wants to explore the college ranks, and Villanova’s Jay Wright is one name that figures to come up during that search, per Stein.

Bucks Notes: Parker, Walker, Williams

January 23rd, 2018 at 6:10pm CST by Austin Kent

Scrapping for their spot in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, the Bucks know they need to rally around one another in the wake of the franchise’s recent coaching change, Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes.

Velasquez writes that young players like Thon Maker, who haven’t gone through a coaching change before, have been seeking advice from veterans who have. Considering that Jason Kidd was at the helm in Milwaukee for three and a half seasons there are a number of players like Maker for whom Kidd was the only, or at least the longest-tenured, coach they had had.

“I think for the most part the message was, ‘It’s on us,’ ” Bucks veteran Jason Terry said of a team meeting after the news was announced. “Once they make the decision — which was a tough one — that they did, they put the onus on the players. We understand it’s going to take us as a group collectively.”

There’s more out of Milwaukee:

Sidelined forward Jabari Parker rejected the notion that there was tension between he and Jason Kidd, Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes. “He was my coach for four years and it’s always been a good relationship,” Parker said. “Any coach in a head position, we’re going to have disagreements, but most importantly he helped me.”
The Bucks were among the teams that contacted the Hornets about Kemba Walker prior to Michael Jordan saying that he’s not looking to deal the point guard unless he gets a marquee player in return, Marc Stein of The New York Times tweets.
Among the frontrunners to land the full-time head coaching gig in Milwaukee is Monty Williams, Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports writes. The well-respected former Pelicans coach is currently part of the Spurs’ front office and could be available to take over right away.
The G League affiliate of the Bucks has obtained the rights to both Gary Neal and Ricky Ledo, the team announced. Ledo is a former second-round pick of Milwaukee’s while Neal suited up for the big league club in 2013/14.